Latest Articles - Page 537 of 546

11Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Stay Holmes – The Pantaloons Go Online

When an outdoor theatre company celebrated for helping themselves to their audience’s picnics are forced to go online to perform it’s natural to worry about them, and not just that they may be going hungry. But never fear, when The Pantaloons are here then, as with this show, it is simply elementary: you are in for a great night. Following a brief stay in the Zoom waiting room to the lovely accompaniment of solo violin from Fiona McGarvey, we were launched in true Pantaloons fashion into seventy-five minutes of high jinks and madcap entertainment that was kindly followed by a Q&A with writer and chief Pantaloon Mark Heyward and tonight’s outstanding cast of Edward Ferrow, Kelly Griffiths, Alex Rivers, and Christopher Smart. Dynamic duo Holmes and Watson are well and truly put thr...

Josephs Assemble……for a special online production of a timeless classic!

10Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Interviews

Josephs Assemble……for a special online production of a timeless classic!

In the same way the Avengers assemble to fight baddies a crack squad of Josephs have come together to perform an online megamix version of that classic musical for showbiz charity Acting For Others. As well as Darren Day, Jess Conrad and Jaymi Hensley, who have all played the man with the multi coloured coat over the last 52 years, the Josephs are joined by a team of 30 former ensemble performers. The original idea of this charity event came from Jordan Doolan who runs a Facebook fan site. His suggestion caught the attention of West End performer and producer Adam Lacey who decided he wanted to help turn the idea from a concept into a production. “Jordan had this idea that everyone is in lockdown and the London production we saw with Sheridan Smith, Jac Yarrow and Jason Donovan wa...

10Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

The Deep Blue Sea – National Theatre

Terence Rattigan was one of the finest playwrights of his generation and over the course of many years he wrote some outstanding pieces of work for the theatre. The Deep Blue Sea is probably the best play from his repertoire, an absolute masterpiece set in post-war Britain and centred around a woman caught between worlds and realising that passion can sometimes suffocate and harm. Rattigan’s beautifully constructed play explores many issues including those of mental health, self-worth and self-esteem. The play is set over one day in a flat in West London, it’s 1952 where we first meet Hester Collyer (Helen McCrory) trying to “end it all” but through the intervention of other people who also live in the building, she thankfully fails. Hester just needs to be heard, to be loved and ...

You’re Late! You’re Late! For A Very Important Date!

10Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

You’re Late! You’re Late! For A Very Important Date!

Site-responsive and immersive theatre-makers Creation Theatre and Big Telly Theatre Company present an innovative and fresh take on Lewis Carrolls’ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Teaming up with Charisma.ai, ground-breakers in interactive and immersive storytelling technology, this digitally advanced production, blends live acting and the latest in AI and online video techniques. Audiences will be invited to dive down the rabbit hole to experience a magical theatrical experience, meeting their favourite characters from this much-loved classic along the way. While venues remain in lockdown in the UK, the show bridges the worlds of theatre, art and technology and reunites the successful creative team behind The Tempest Live. Alice will be performed live each time across four weeks. ...

Artistic Director, Gemma Bodinetz announces departure from Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse

10Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Artistic Director, Gemma Bodinetz announces departure from Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse

Artistic Director, Gemma Bodinetz announces departure from Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse After 17 years as Artistic Director of the Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse theatres (E&P), Gemma Bodinetz today announced she will step down later this year. During her successful tenure she helped contribute to Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture, built a Stirling Prize winning theatre for the city, produced a great deal of wonderful theatre including directing many productions that have delighted audiences here and across the UK. Gemma re-invigorated Liverpool as a place of theatrical excellence. She has championed the work of Young Everyman & Playhouse, particularly inspiring many young women into the industry and supported the growing work in communities across the city regio...

Joseph and the Amazing All Star Concert – Online

8Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Joseph and the Amazing All Star Concert – Online

When we are all deep in the doldrums as our theatres stay dark, here comes a much needed breath of fresh air, bursting onto our screens, in full kaleidoscopic glory and musical majesty - Joseph and the Amazing All Star Concert – Highlights from the Technicolor Musical. With a foreword from the original touring Joseph, Jess Conrad OBE who played the role of Joseph in the 1970/80’s. This concert is true to the original artistic intent, a pure celebration and after so long without live performances, this brought more than one tear of joy to my eye! Based on the Bible story in Genesis with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Joseph was originally written whilst the pair where at Magdalen College, Oxford. However, the original idea for this concert was spotted on the Joseph ...

8Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Rush – BBC iPlayer

Writer, Willi Richards’s first play, Rush was to have opened in June at Trafalgar Studios 2 following a successful two week run in 2018 at London’s King’s Head Theatre. Although COVID-19 has, for the moment, denied Rush its West End run it is now streaming on BBC iPlayer as part of their Culture In Quarantine series in the form of an online script reading. The play explores the dynamics of a gay love triangle involving Man (Rupert Everett), Lad (Daniel Boyd) and Boy (Omari Douglas). Lad is in a relationship with Boy but at the same time engaged in an affair with the older Man who is himself one half of a civil partnership. Lad, as the link between the two other men, brings them together. It ends with Lad revealing to camera the reasoning behind the decision as to which of them he decide...

New Vic Theatre Reschedule Opening of Marvellous to Spring 2021

7Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

New Vic Theatre Reschedule Opening of Marvellous to Spring 2021

Marvellous, a brand-new play based on the life of local hero, Neil ‘Nello’ Baldwin, was due to take to the stage in the theatre’s newly refurbished auditorium in September. However, due to the uncertainty around when theatres will be able to safely start rehearsals for shows and also reopen to the public for performances, the New Vic has taken the decision to reschedule the production to a later date and now hopes to stage this inspiring show in April 2021. Theresa Heskins, New Vic Artistic Director said: “A New Vic production like Marvellous takes months of planning, and many people are involved in its creation. From our in-house team to freelance actors and creatives, and of course Neil himself, it is a huge endeavour – and much of the work happens before we even start rehearsals....

Doing The Pub Quiz – Northern Comedy Theatre Zoom Live

7Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Doing The Pub Quiz – Northern Comedy Theatre Zoom Live

Following on from their live Zoom show ‘Doing Shakespeare’, the new addition to the Northern Comedy Theatre’s repertoire is ‘Doing the Pub Quiz’. Once again, The Felching Players are together, but this time they are using their free time to enter a pub quiz. Teaming up with writer David Spicer who wrote their previous Zoom Live ‘Doing Shakespeare’, The Felching Players are taking on other pub teams in a bid to be victorious. Tom (Robert Stuart-Hudson) set up the team (apparently to get off the booze after his wife left him) and likes to be in the driving seat, organising everyone. The imaginatively named ‘We are Smarticus’ pub team have got through the qualifying round and are now battling against 31 teams to be top dog of the pub quiz league; they just need to g...

Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads: The Outside Dog – BBC iPlayer

7Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads: The Outside Dog – BBC iPlayer

One of the strong suites Alan Bennett has always had is his ability to write convincingly for women. The sort of women a boy from a respectable middle-class Leeds family would have known growing up. When he put these women into his writing they attracted the great and good of acting to portray them. Dames Julie, Thora and Patricia are the ones which spring immediately to mind. They are synonymous with the piece. It is therefore interesting to revisit the work with new faces in the frame. I have seen some of his “Talking Heads” presented with new faces on stage, but we are currently being treated with television presentations, so comparisons are inevitable. It is a testament to the skill of Rochenda Sandall that thoughts of Julie Walters (the original Marjory) are thrown out of the windo...