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Furnace Festival celebrating new artists is back at Leeds Playhouse

27Oct

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Furnace Festival celebrating new artists is back at Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse’s trailblazing Furnace Festival is back after a two-year break celebrating new work in a kaleidoscopic mix of performances, workshops, conversations and social events. Furnace is the Playhouse's development engine that generates new performance work supporting the local creative community. The week- long showcase events that are free or pay-what-you-can shares new work and offers space for artists to explore their practice. Highlights of the Furnace Festival include: Let's Talk - Tuesday 9th November, 10.30am A panel discussion with Disability Arts Online and Leeds Playhouse's Associate Director Amy Leach discussing access and work by disabled artists within the theatre. This is a chance for people to ask questions and air their views in a safe and supportive at...

Three Nights of Ground-breaking New Theatre

27Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Three Nights of Ground-breaking New Theatre

Following on from the success of their event at 81 Renshaw Street in July 2019, the Lantern Writers collective were all set to soar again last April until – well, we all know what happened next. But time flies, the world moves on, and so better late than never, they reconvene to deliver another three nights of ground-breaking new theatre at Liverpool’s Royal Court this November. The premise remains the same with twelve pieces of original writing delivered across three evenings with plays typically ranging in length from 15 minutes to half-an-hour, although this time round an hour-long piece opens the proceedings. Covering a wide variety of genres, audiences are guaranteed a diverse mix each night with comedy and drama intermingled to provide an entertaining showcase. One of the gr...

Beauty and the Beast – Edinburgh Playhouse

27Oct

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Beauty and the Beast – Edinburgh Playhouse

"Be our guest" and so you should, this toe tapping bonanza of a musical is a treat for the eyes. Mixing pre-recorded projections, detailed set pieces of course some magic, this production is one for the whole family. The story follows a Selfish young Prince turned beast and a bookworm beauty who doesn't quite fit in and find herself pursued by a man who just can't take no for an answer. When her father is held prisoner by the beast, belle volunteers to take his place, thus beginning our love story. Of course, one cannot forget the merry band of living furniture who guide us along the way. Expect classics from Howard Ashman and Tim Rice such as: Beauty and the Beast, Be Our Guest, Human Again and Gaston. Casting for this production does not disappoint for the most part, with the ro...

27Oct

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

The Good Life – The Lowry

Modern society is fascinated with the idea of sustainable, eco-friendly living - rightly so, when the threat of mother nature and climate change are knocking on your door. So, its oddly fitting that the 70’s British sitcom, The Good Life, should focus on ecological living. The TV show was enjoyed by millions when it premiered way back when, in 1975. The show was adapted by Jeremy Sams and it now hits stages for the first time, before heading to the West End. It features Tom and Barbara, as we join them on Tom’s 40th Birthday. In the midst of what Barbara describes as a midlife crisis, Tom quits his job as a designer of plastic toys for cereal boxes and the couple decide to commit to a new lifestyle, in a hope to make for a more interesting life. They set off on their quest to become eco...

27Oct

By Pooja SivaramanNo Comments

London

Vanara — Hackney Empire

Vanara has all the ingredients to make for an epic musical: an ancient legend, a talented cast, a live orchestra, beautiful costumes, and a community of eager eyes awaiting its release. The show had its world premiere this weekend at the Hackney Empire, a fitting venue for the grandeur the story promises. Vanara is the story of two tribes: the Kogallisk, servants of the moon, and the Pana, servants of the sun. The Kogallisk live on a mountain and hone the power of fire, a secret power which they must protect from the thieving Panas, who according to legend can steal a Kogallisk’s inner fire by looking them straight in the eyes. The Panas do not have access to this fire, and so must hunt and trade to remain alive. What then ensues is a battle between the two tribes, with two star-crossed lo...

26Oct

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Chicago – Wolverhampton Grand

“Chicago” can hardly be described as bursting with colour with a limited design palette of black, white, grey and occasional splatters of bloody red light during the murders it aims to emulate, perhaps, the movies of the period. More accurately it emulates the still photographs of the newspapers of the period and chooses to present it all in a stilted and, oddly, uninvolving fashion. As the production adopts a distancing alienating technique (I’m guessing more a directorial decision than an authorial one) it deliberately stops us from engaging and empathising with the characters or plot - so all that is left to beguile us is technique and design. The band dominate the stage sitting like a jazz orchestra trapped in a roll-top desk leaving just a sliver of fore stage for the remainder of ...

26Oct

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Sessions – Unity Theatre

Ifeyinwa Frederick’s eloquent and captivating meditation on masculinity and mental health is brought to vibrant life in this touring production from theatre company Paines Plough. Tunde (Joseph Black) is fast approaching his thirtieth birthday and somehow, he feels his life is unravelling. His relationships both with himself and other people seem fragile and fractured, so he seeks help from his unseen therapist in one-to-one sessions to alleviate his anxieties and try to look forward with renewed confidence. It’s not an easy journey for Tunde as the piece reveals. This one-man performance is a fairly simple construct and much depends on both Fredericks writing and Black’s performance but what could appear to be a simply framed set of monologues morphs into something a lot mo...

26Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

The Cat and the Canary – Opera House

With Halloween upon us and the clocks going back at the weekend, our thoughts turn to entertainment of the scary variety, therefore an old-fashioned thriller set in a creepy house should be just what is required as the nights draw in. Unfortunately, the production of 'The Cat and the Canary' which began its week-long run at the Manchester Opera House this evening was a huge disappointment. As a thriller it wasn't scary, as a comedy it wasn't funny, and it wasn't camp enough to be interesting as a pastiche of the genre. Based on the 1921 play by John Willard and adapted by Carl Grose, the production wore its 100 years heavily, with the usual tropes that one would associate with a thriller of this vintage. Creepy old mansion - check; assortment of characters assembled and trapped against ...

The Little Mermaid – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

26Oct

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

The Little Mermaid – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Even if you’re not a Disney aficionado, everyone knows the story of The Little Mermaid: Girl meets boy, girl can’t be with boy, chaos ensues, true love prevails. It’s a true Disney classic. However, love story aside, I was very intrigued to see how a story that predominantly occurs underwater would be portrayed onstage, so when the chance arose to see The Little Mermaid at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, I naturally had to see it for myself. And am I glad I did! With a dream-team of talent spearheading the dressing rooms – from renowned stage director Joseph Meighan, musical director Mark Goggins, and lesser-known at the Garrick (but still utterly fantastic) choreographer Koda Holland-Smith – it’s no wonder this show was a delight from start to finish. Photo: Martin Ogden Whilst ...

25Oct

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

How to Kill a Rose – Unity Theatre

Transcend Theatre’s How to Kill a Rose, written by Felix Mufti-Wright and directed by Ailis Lord, is an exploration of domestic abuse within the transgender community. Terrifying realistic and heartrendingly hopeful, this bittersweet drama raises awareness of a vital issue affecting far too many people, while making you laugh with some clever humour. The performance is presented with subtitles and BSL interpretation throughout. The set shows a simple home, with a sofa and tables, and hints towards the creativity of the characters with the presence of a keyboard and easel with paints. The characters are sixteen year old “Me” (Felix Mufti-Wright) and 23 year old “Him” (Tony Fox). At the outset of the piece their relationship seems to be sweet and tender as they mime domestic bliss, watchi...