Latest Articles - Page 526 of 656

5Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

The Addams Family – Z-Arts

Not even the Addams Family are immune from Covid-19, however tonight at Z-Arts after nearly 2 years of delays they finally sat down for dinner watched by an excited audience, and it was well worth the wait. Manchester Musical Youth (MMY) Grads are back! If you are not aware of the story, it follows Wednesday Addams who falls in love with Lucas Beineke. Wednesday announces that the Beineke’s are coming over for dinner so that her extraordinary family can meet their ordinary one before announcing their engagement. What follows is a night of truth and revelations that could change the future for both families forever. I have to congratulate director Tom Jennings, not only has he brought this show to the stage in a fun and inventive way he also stepped in to play Gomez Addams with just a...

Pride and Prejudice (sort of) – Criterion Theatre

4Nov

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Pride and Prejudice (sort of) – Criterion Theatre

I don’t know what I was expecting walking into an all-female Pride and Prejudice, but I left with ready for a complete re-write of literature and Isobel McArthur to lead the revolution. The energy, commitment, enjoyment they had to be there was streamed through this theatre, it felt like a gift to witness. Isobel McArthur, writer and performer was commissioned to write a stage production of Pride and Prejudice for Tron Theatre four years ago after having never read the book. Since then she has been developing this play to finally land at the Criterion Theatre in London where 5 actors enter the stage as we enter our seats only to assure us that it hasn’t started yet- they just need to grab their rubber glove from the chandelier. Everything is very much in their gloved hands, as they r...

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Leeds Grand

4Nov

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Leeds Grand

The performing arts often attracts outsiders looking for a safe haven, so it is hardly surprising many musicals are about the plucky outsider finding their true selves against what seem like insurmountable odds. That’s true of this big-hearted musical that started life just down the road in Sheffield, before becoming a West End hit, and is loosely based on the real story of working class gay teenager Jamie Campbell who decided that only did he want to be a drag artist when he left school, but he was going to his prom in a dress. Here our Jamie New, supported by Muslim best mate Pritti, wants to do the same despite the school bullies, but is up against a bigoted teacher determined he will turn up to the big night in ’normal’ attire, provoking an unexpected response from his schoolmate...

Maxine Peake, The Guilty Feminist and Johnny Flynn at Shakespeare’s Globe

3Nov

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

Maxine Peake, The Guilty Feminist and Johnny Flynn at Shakespeare’s Globe

Shakespeare’s Globe has announced a series of new events running alongside the season of Shakespeare plays in the indoor candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. These include: a panel discussion with Maxine Peake, Artistic Director Michelle Terry and Co-Director of Education Professor Farah Karim-Cooper, dubbed ‘Hamlet and She’ as part of a ‘Women and Power’ festival; the hit feminist comedy podcast, The Guilty Feminist, returns for another live recording in the Playhouse hosted by Deborah Frances-White; Johnny Flynn and Robert Macfarlane present a live performance of their stunning new album; and a whole host of education events including February half-term activities for families. Despite the difficulties faced since the Globe closed its doors in March 2020, from May 2021, the theatre has ...

The Play That Goes Wrong – King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

3Nov

By Melissa JonesNo Comments

Scotland

The Play That Goes Wrong – King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

If I had to be absolutely honest, Cornley’s Poytechnic Drama Society’s performance of ‘Murder at Havisham Manor’ was about one-star at best, based purely on set design alone, but seeing as even that slowly disintegrated throughout the performance, this rating is dubious at best. You’ll therefore be glad to realise, reader, I was in attendance of Mischief Theatre’s ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’, a carefully crafted physical theatre farce, where, unnervingly, everything that could have possibly gone wrong, did go wrong. ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ does what it says on the tin. The production framed through the narrative device of Cornley’s Polytechinic Drama Society’s latest production, which, thanks to inept planning and a lack of talent, goes very wrong indeed. It’s ram packed with every ki...

3Nov

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

SIX – Vaudeville Theatre

SIX, the feminist pop musical written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, which has taken the world by storm, has reopened at the Vaudeville Theatre. SIX focuses on the wives of King Henry VIII, Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anne, Katherine and Catherine giving them the mic to tell their stories as a powerful girl group. The six women sing their hearts out about their shared experience being married to the monarch, arguing who had the worst time in a pop princess-inspired musical contest. Dressed in glittering Tudor-style outfits, each queen had their own opportunity to shine with solos inspired by modern musical stars and shine they certainly did. From emotional power ballads to head-bopping R&B tracks, SIX masterfully conquers a plethora of genres whilst re-imagining history in a fresh and enj...

3Nov

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

9 to 5: The Musical – Liverpool Empire

In 2009, nearly 30 years after the film's release, 9 to 5 made its debut as a Broadway Musical with new songs written by Dolly Parton. It then made its way over to the West-End where it premiered in February 2019. Since its UK premiere, 9 to 5 The Musical, has been seen by over half a million people at over 450 performances. This is its second national UK tour. I can remember watching the film 9 to 5 in the early 1980’s starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton and being blown away by it; straight from the start the music was gripping and of course the theme of feminism, equality and women’s rights was spot on. It was Dolly Parton’s acting debut, and she was fabulous as secretary to the story’s antagonist, exploitative boss. In a nutshell, the story is about three...

3Nov

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Blood Brothers – Birmingham Hippodrome

Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” famously opens with one long, droning tone from the orchestra which engages, entrances and thrills in equal measure. “Blood Brothers” employs the same technique and hits exactly the same, as it were, note. We are drawn into a dark and tragic world where the outcome of the plot is set out as clearly as the two dead two bodies laying before us. This is the plot spoiler of all plot spoilers but, oddly, though we know the end we want to know why it happened. Not a whodunnit, but a whydunnit? And so, the drone draws us in… My first Mrs. Johnston was Kiki Dee, which for all you BB buddies out there, means I saw it quite early on in its humungous run. Barbara Dickson did it first, of course, in a version that didn’t take off. Bill Kenwright sprinkled his Liverpudlian m...

3Nov

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Elf the Musical – Hull New Theatre

I once spent many hours one weekend, corresponding with an “elf”, via email. His name was Blodwit and he was helping me organise Santa letters for the youngsters in my family. Obviously, Blodwit was a mischievous Santa letter employee working from home, but I happily played along with him as the child in me wanted to believe he was real. Fast forward to Tuesday evening and I couldn’t wait to get to the Hull New Theatre to watch some of Blodwit’s relatives (maybe) in Elf The Musical. And judging by the many theatregoers wearing elf hats, I wasn’t the only one eager to get into the festive spirit. As the lights dimmed in the packed theatre the colourful stage setting, bedecked with 20ft-tall candy canes, left us in no doubt we were in Santa’s domain at the North Pole. As the “elv...

Kym Marsh to star in new Fatal Attraction UK Tour

2Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Kym Marsh to star in new Fatal Attraction UK Tour

Smith and Brant Theatricals and Ambassador Theatre Group Productions are delighted to announce casting for a new production of Fatal Attraction, based on the classic Paramount Pictures Corporation film. Kym Marsh * (ITV’s Coronation Street) will perform the iconic role of Alex Forrest, Oliver Farnworth (ITV’s Coronation Street) her lover, Dan Gallagher and Susie Amy (ITV’s Footballers’ Wives) his wife, Beth. KYM MARSH is an actress and well-loved star of the British music and television scene. The former singer was part of the hugely successful noughties pop band Hear'Say, who had two UK number one singles and a UK number one album. A treasured star of UK television also, Marsh played the role of Michelle Connor in ITV's Coronation Street for 13 years, winning many awards including the ...