Latest Articles - Page 535 of 656

13Oct

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Empty in Angel – Bloomsbury Theatre

‘Empty in Angel’, I soon discovered, is courier talk for “I am in (Angel) and I currently have no goods to collect or deliver”. An original play by James Woolf, Empty in Angel looks at the fight to improve workers’ rights in the so-called ‘gig economy’ and the common struggles faced by its community. Our narrator and protagonist is ‘Watsy’ (‘cos she’s from Watford. She has a friend called ‘Brighton’. She moans a lot) who is ably portrayed by the very energetic Darcy Willison. Alongside the central role, Willison takes on all bit-parts in this hour long one-(wo)man show and slips between characters with ease. She also manages to pull off a couple of pretty impressive raps and some genuinely moving monologues that at one point put a bit of a lump in my throat. Holding an audiences’ attent...

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Manchester Palace Theatre

12Oct

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Manchester Palace Theatre

The world’s most flamboyant road trip has rolled into Manchester as we’re invited to step aboard a ‘Budget Barbie Camper’ named Priscilla and lip-sync our way through a jukebox of disco hits with the best of them. Based on the cult 1994 film, and co-produced by its original West End star, Jason Donovan, tonight’s show takes us deep into the Australian outback as we join drag queens Tick/Mitzi (Edwin Ray), and Adam/Felicia (Nick Hayes) and transgender Bernadette (Miles Western) on their trip from suburban Sydney to Alice Springs. Our ‘ladies’ are set to perform at a local casino as a distraction from their current woes. Unbeknownst to Adam and Bernadette, it will also give Tick the chance to meet his son, Benji. Along the way they tackle weighty issues of grief, bigotry and what it...

11Oct

By Blathine MaguireNo Comments

North West

Lantern Lites – The Casa Theatre

Lantern Lites are a writing group based in Liverpool who meet on a weekly basis and tonight they showcase some of their latest pieces at The Casa Theatre, Liverpool. Lantern writers aim to produce new and exciting work on a regular basis by supporting one another through the writing development process. The first play showcased tonight was ‘Child’s Play’ written and directed by Mark Davoren. This is a comedy abstract from a full play where we meet a very young Mark who faces the challenge of growing up with two devious sisters. The writing is very unique in that it covers themes we don’t often see on stage. It was great to see drama which moves away from typical themes of love, soul seeking and big quests! This piece felt very light and made for easy watching. For future developme...

Jack & the Beanstalk is at Halifax’s Victoria Theatre…oh yes it is!

10Oct

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Jack & the Beanstalk is at Halifax’s Victoria Theatre…oh yes it is!

The Trots are so poor they don’t have a bean to their name, and what is more there is a giant terrifying the village. Come and see if Jack can defeat the giant, win the heart of the girl he loves and turn the Trots’ fortunes around. Once again The Victoria Theatre will have all the ingredients for a perfect family panto, with a dastardly villain, a hapless comic and a hilarious panto dame, as well as fabulous musical numbers and bags of slapstick fun! Jack & The Beanstalk is the panto at Halifax’s Victoria Theatre with Adam Stafford returning as Dame Trot Comic Josh Benson will be returning for his 2nd panto as Joshin' Josh, Dame Trot’s wacky son. Richard Lloyd is returning for his second year too playing Fleshcreep, the snazzy dressed panto villain. Nikki Schofield has app...

10Oct

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

Roots – Wilton’s Music Hall

As I found myself settling into my seat at the historic Wilton’s Music Hall, I registered a strange feeling. Perhaps it was the humdrum of excited, hushed voices that swept the hall or maybe it was the fact that we were all gathered here, together, to listen to some folk tales. However, what followed next completely disarmed me (in a good way) and for the next hour, I surrendered myself to the lure of a good story. Independent performance company 1927’S Roots is a playful, multi-faceted exploration of stories from a simpler time. Written and directed by Suzanne Andrade with Paul Barritt on animation and design, the show is an anthology of ancient folk tales from the Aarne index which has categorized and numbered thousands of stories from all over the world. 1927’s trademark aesthetic combi...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Hope Mill Theatre

9Oct

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Hope Mill Theatre

What is Shakespeare’s best comedy? Although plenty of people would vote for A Midsummer Night’s Dream it is, in truth, an impossible question to answer. Why? Because the Bard’s plays exist to be performed and any humour in the script is only conveyed to the audience with great direction. With a good director at the helm, Dream is hilarious, fast-paced and emotional. With a poor director in charge, it can feel turgid, long and devoid of comedy. This production has an excellent director in charge. It’s hard to walk out of the theatre thinking anything other than Dream is the best Shakespeare comedy and this must be one of the very, very best telling’s of this timeless tale. All Female Shakespeare does exactly what it says on the tin. Created by Unseemly Women, HER Productions and Girl Gan...

9Oct

By Tracy RyanNo Comments

North West

Good Grief – Unity Theatre

A leg protrudes from a jagged gravestone adorned with neon pink ‘RIP’ lettering; a sort of Tracey Emin meets Anthony Gormley start to a frenetic, pumped-up and kinetic sixty minutes of clowning, slapstick, techno & recorded interview excerpts from Liverpool-based company Ugly Bucket, Using minimal props and costume accoutrements, the best gift this youthful and award winning physical theatre company possess is a seeming electric current running through them; five bodies juddering, jumping, gyrating & jerking into life, but each with their own style and skill set – as they perform their terminally ill friend & mentor’s wish, a play about death for his memorial. The show could have been macabre, intrusive and even offensive, but in Ugly Bucket’s hands, the show is energised...

8Oct

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Sirens, Men & Crabs – Unity Theatre

With a title like ‘Sirens, Men and Crabs’ it was hard to know what to expect from the award-winning Teatro Pomodoro and their unique take on Greek tragedy. Would it be funny? How true to ancient myth is it? And how on earth do crabs feature? Prepare to go on a journey like never before. Describing itself as “creating thought provoking, playful theatre for audiences internationally” Sirens did not disappoint Directed by Mark Bell (The Play That Goes Wrong) and produced by the notable RJ Lloyd, this reimagining of a renowned classic story is exceptionally creative and accessible to all. Based in Liverpool but brought together in Paris at Ecole Philippe Gaulier, the company create an environment that makes audience participation feel both edgy and safe. It’s not funny, it’s hilarious. ...

First look images of rehearsals for the World Premiere production of Tim Price’s Isla

8Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

First look images of rehearsals for the World Premiere production of Tim Price’s Isla

As the world première production of Kaite O’Reilly’s Missing Julie opens at Theatr Clwyd, Artistic Director Tamara Harvey and Executive Director Liam Evans-Ford today announce the cast for the world première production of Tim Price’s Isla. In a co-production with the Royal Court Theatre, the production opens at Theatr Clwyd on October 21st with previews from the 16th October, and runs until 6th November. Tamara Harvey directs Mark Lambert as Roger, Lisa Zahra as Erin, and Catrin Aaron as PC Jones and the titular role of Isla. Soon there will be more voice-activated, digital assistants than people. All are female gendered. Roger needs company and he doesn’t want a dog. When his daughter Erin buys him the latest Isla digital assistant an unexpected relationship between man and technolo...

Lady Chatterley’s Lover – stream.theatre

8Oct

By Louise PennNo Comments

REVIEWS

Lady Chatterley’s Lover – stream.theatre

A musical based on DH Lawrence's controversial last novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, sounds an interesting prospect. John Robinson – a former engineer and academic who turned composer late in life – has taken the romantic thread of the story, but jettisoned the sex, earthy language, and nudity to make a PG friendly show. Filmed during its two-night run at the Shaftesbury Theatre in June, Sasha Regan's production benefits from a clever two-tier set by Andrew Exeter highlighting the deeply rooted difference in class between Constance, Lady Chatterley (Georgia Lennon), and the rough gamekeeper (Michael Pickering) who had been an officer in the Great War. There is wood panelling and trappings of wealth above, and the rough bark of trees in the wood below. An early number underlines the pa...