Latest Articles - Page 497 of 664

1Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Opera North: Carmen – Hull New Theatre

“Enjoy the screaming ab-dabs!”, were my opera-hating husband’s parting words as I headed for the Hull New Theatre on Thursday evening to watch Opera North’s production of Carmen. I’ve seen several of this company’s operas, in the line of duty, but never Carmen, so, blocking out hubby’s words, I vowed to watch with an open mind. Before “curtain up” an Opera North representative took to the stage to explain that there were Ukrainian and Russian cast members, who were all horrified by the current events in the Ukraine, and would we please be upstanding while the orchestra played the Ukrainian National Anthem. It was a reflective and sombre start to what turned out to be a colourful and riotous production. Set in 1830’s Seville, Spain, the opening scene featured drunken soldiers am...

Allan Stewart’s Big Big Variety Show – King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

31Mar

By Melissa JonesNo Comments

Scotland

Allan Stewart’s Big Big Variety Show – King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

Actor, singer, comedian and all-round impresario, Allan Stewart swore he would never bring his variety back to the King’s Theatre in 2020. But a lot has changed since then, in ways no one could image. We live in a world where panto runs can be cut short, which for the likes of Allan Stewart fans is a devastating world to live in, indeed. Bringing back one of Edinburgh’s best loved shows was the perfect tonic. As the curtain rises, we’re joined by the legend himself with the fantastic Andy Pickering and his orchestra. Andy Pickering’s orchestra hold the pace all evening, delivering hit after hit with prowess. Tonight’s show, is as you would expect it, filled with Easter egg surprises. After Stewart’s big opening number, we’re joined by panto legend Grant Stott, fresh from ongoing s...

Celebrate summer at the National Theatre with unmissable entertainment on the South Bank

31Mar

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

Celebrate summer at the National Theatre with unmissable entertainment on the South Bank

River Stage, the NT's free outdoor festival packed with music, dance and unforgettable live performances returns in July; alongside KERB’s open-air market featuring some of London’s best street food traders. For the first time since 2019 the National Theatre’s River Stage festival will return to the South Bank. Over five weekends, starting in July, leading arts and performance companies will take over the stage to celebrate the best of British culture including performances from drag artists, dance performances, live streamed theatre and plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy. This year’s River Stage partners include The Glory, HOME Manchester, Hackney Empire Young Producers, Hofesh Shechter and the National Theatre. The Glory: 15th – 17th July The Glory returns to ...

Nothing in a Butterfly – Omnibus Theatre

31Mar

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Nothing in a Butterfly – Omnibus Theatre

Omnibus Theatre and Dorty Mooth Theatre jointly present this play supported by the Synergy Theatre Project. The Synergy Theatre Project works with prisoners, ex-prisoners, and young people at risk of offending with a belief that theatre can be transformative and challenges the perceptions of both prisoners and society. The writer and performer Ric Renson has benefitted from this project and has previously performed in The Invitation at the Secret Theatre, and Blackout for the Synergy Project. This time Renton has turned his hand to writing this, his first play. Nothing in a Butterfly is an auto-biographical play about Renton’s own life, set in Tyneside. Renton plays himself in this hard-hitting play, leading the audience along the path of his life beginning with him almost jumping...

Ellen Kent: Madama Butterfly – Floral Pavilion

31Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Ellen Kent: Madama Butterfly – Floral Pavilion

Puccini may have been a philanderer and scoundrel, with a Hitchcock-like tendency to put his heroines through merry hell, but my goodness, he could write an aria. Madama Butterfly, one of the most widely performed operas in the world, boasts its fair share, and is deemed to be one of the most accessible to audiences. Set in one location - a hillside house in Nagasaki, Japan - we follow Cio-Cio-San, nicknamed ‘Butterfly’, the young bride of an American naval officer, Lieutenant Pinkerton, as her romantic ideals are tested to their limits when he seemingly abandons her, yet she still waits hopefully for his return. The sense of tragedy is embedded from the get-go, as we know as an audience that Pinkerton has no intention of coming back, seeing the match as a short-lived one until he can f...

31Mar

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

Mamma Mia! – Liverpool Empire

Everyone is familiar with the ‘Mamma Mia!’ films but not everyone has seen the stage show upon which they’re based; I’m lucky enough to have seen it many times, the first time being the London premier in 1999 when I was blown away by the production, the songs and the energy of the cast. Based around the songs of Swedish pop legends ABBA, ‘Mamma Mia!’ is now a box-office worldwide musical phenomenon. The feel-good musical is presently playing in both the West End and Broadway and has countless touring versions performing world-wide. The show was originally conceived by English producer, Judy Craymer and written by Catherine Johnson, with director Phyllida Lloyd, these being the collaborative creative force behind what was to become an unprecedented commercial success; it premier...

Ian McKellen to star in HAMLET at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

30Mar

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

Ian McKellen to star in HAMLET at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Ian McKellen and Peter Schaufuss will collaborate and perform together at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the world premiere of HAMLET a new performance concept adapted from Shakespeare’s play from the 2nd – 28th August 2022 at Ashton Hall, Saint Stephens Theatre, 105 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh. In his long and distinguished career, Ian McKellen has played Hamlet twice, in productions 50 years apart. In 1971 he took the role on tour and in the West End and then last year, aged 81, he revisited it in an age, colour, and gender-blind production at the Theatre Royal, Windsor. Despite Covid, that four-month run was completely sold out. Now McKellen is to return to Hamlet in a world première at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, performing with the Edinburgh Festival Ballet Compan...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Birmingham Hippodrome

30Mar

By Annette NuttallNo Comments

West Midlands

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Birmingham Hippodrome

The award-winning National Theatre Production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time comes to Birmingham, perfectly coinciding with World Autism Awareness Week. Christopher Boon has found his neighbour’s dog murdered, he decides to investigate what has happened and who killed him. This is very much outside of his comfort zone and the more he investigates the more he reveals, leading to some uncomfortable discoveries. From the start, it is clear that Christopher sees things differently to most people, his neurodiverse condition is never named but alluded to in the script. The novel (by Mark Haddon) on which this play is based, is written in the first person, which could be difficult to translate to the stage. However, by mixing live action with Christopher explaini...

30Mar

By Hazel BumbyNo Comments

North West

Sheila’s Island – The Lowry

Sheila’s Island is a sharp and charming new piece of comedy writing by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls, Kinky Boots) and is extremely funny and very well written… The Quays Theatre within The Lowry was the perfect setting for this one set play showcasing the talents of four very talented ladies. The set was simple yet very well designed and the sound and lighting never missed a beat. The cast were not wearing microphones but to be honest they didn’t need them. Projected and clear and not a word missed from the back of the stalls. Hair, make-up and costume were all on point for this present day setting. Now, a bit of background….. For Team C from Pennine Mineral Water Ltd, their team building weekend has well and truly been blown way off course. ...

Everybody’s Talking About Jaime – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

30Mar

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Everybody’s Talking About Jaime – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

When you learn to except yourself for who you truly are and want to be, that is when the world will follow suit and accept you too, this is the message that this show communicates. Everyone’s Talking about Jamie is based around the true life and journey of drag star Jamie Campbell: one of the youngest drag queens of his time, taking up the art at just 16. Whilst drag is an important plot device do not get this show confused for a drag show; Jamie’s alter ego Mimi Me (or in real life Fifi La True) only actually surfaces once in the show and in its complete form this is via projection. The plot is actually about a young sixteen-year-old queer boy (Jamie played by Layton Williams) who dreams of being a drag queen yet fears the backlash he may get from his classmates, teacher (Lara Denning...