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Sheila’s Island – The King’s Arms, Salford

12Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Sheila’s Island – The King’s Arms, Salford

Something quite special has been slowly brewing over the last couple of years at the King's Arms pub in Salford — and not just the excellent pint of Guinness. In this side-street boozer, incongruously wedged between Salford Central station and the bustling ring road, the husband-and-wife team of Colin and Lisa Connor have quietly established the tiny theatre nestled in the roof as a prime destination to see challenging and rewarding productions in the city centre. This dynamic duo have now taken the next step in their development by creating The Kings, a company of actors and creatives designed to showcase the wonderful talent our regional theatre network offers. First out of the blocks for The Kings is Sheila's Island by Tim Firth, a reworking of his earlier Neville's Island from 1...

The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me – Hope Mill Theatre

12Feb

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me – Hope Mill Theatre

On the wettest night of February, after battling my way through football traffic and rain-soaked streets, I arrived at the stunning Hope Mill Theatre ready to be transported. What followed was an evening of provocative, challenging and ultimately moving theatre: The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me, produced by Hive North by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc., written by David Drake, directed by Adam Zane, produced by Mike Lee, and performed by Gabriel Clark. Originally published in 1994, David Drake’s ground breaking solo piece has become one of the longest running solo plays in New York theatre history. Structured as a series of abstract, poetic vignettes, it charts a gay man’s journey of self-discovery against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis that devastated the LGBTQ+...

12Feb

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

Barnum – Palace Theatre

P.T. Barnum was one of the most fascinating and controversial showmen in history; a man who built an empire on spectacle, ambition, and an unshakable belief in the power of entertainment. Barnum brings his extraordinary life vividly to the stage, charting his rise from humble beginnings to global fame, while exploring the personal sacrifices made along the way. It’s a rousing, uplifting musical that celebrates individuality, resilience, and the thrill of chasing impossible dreams. Directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, this production moves at a thrilling pace from start to finish, rarely giving the audience a moment to breathe. It’s slick, polished, and bursting with theatrical flair, managing to balance emotional storytelling with jaw-dropping spectacle. From intimate character moments to full...

12Feb

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

The Wood Paths – Traverse Theatre

Tired of watching paint dry? As an alternative, Manipulate Festival offers The Wood Paths at the Traverse Theatre. Beginning with thirty straight minutes of performers and co-creators Rūdolfs Gedinš and c chopping into large wooden logs in silence, this show is certainly off the wall. Produced by Latvian company, Theatre on Gertrude Street (ToGS), The Wood Paths is an abstract and eccentric piece of performance art that is both mysteriously aloof, and affectionately playful. Directed and co-created by Andrejs Jarovojs, Rudof Bekič is another co-creator alongside Samĭtis and Gedinš. This certainly was a unique performance, and while some may say its reeks of fine-art ostentation, it can’t be denied that The Wood Paths is absolutely intriguing. The performance was in ...

Saaniya Abbas: Hellarious – Soho Theatre

12Feb

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

Saaniya Abbas: Hellarious – Soho Theatre

Watching Saaniya Abbas on stage is like listening to that one friend who has a funny take on just about everything. That’s how well she builds a rapport with the audience. And nothing is too sacred or out of bounds, from politics to religion to personal life. Abbas, we quickly learn, grew up in a conservative Muslim family in New Delhi and studied at a residential school run by Roman Catholic nuns. That in itself offers comedic gold – the restrictions of convention and religion turn into anecdotes of sharp wit. Having then moved to Dubai for work, she found standup comedy, porn, and a British husband, not necessarily in that order. She brings to stage her experiences from all these different aspects of her life as sharp social commentary hidden in a clever script. Take for instance h...

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift – Blackpool Grand Theatre

12Feb

By Paddy Darnell-WalshNo Comments

North West

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift – Blackpool Grand Theatre

Murderous happenings in Midsomer have been entertaining television audiences for almost thirty years. With over 130 episodes and still going strong, Caroline Graham’s iconic countryside drama arrives on stage for the very first time, with Guy Unsworth’s adaptation of 1997’s very first episode, ‘The Killings at Badger’s Drift’. Set in the fictional picturesque village of Badger’s Drift, the story centres around the death of a well-liked elderly villager, Emily Simpson. When her friend suspects foul play, DCI Tom Barnaby is called upon to investigate, uncovering hidden truths, sordid secrets and deadly rivalries. With a wonderful ensemble cast playing multiple roles, the production is slick and in the most-part entertaining, as they flip between playing victims and suspects, with cost...

12Feb

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Macbeth – Hull Truck Theatre

Macbeth, aka The Scottish Play, got off to an explosive start on Tuesday evening, as part of its run at the Hull Truck Theatre. An insider informant - who I will call “Jay” for the purpose of this review - revealed to me pre-show that we theatregoers were in for a thrilling time. And, my goodness, “Jay” was absolutely right. The plain (but extremely effective) stage setting gave no hint of what was to come. The stage floor was level with the audience’s walkway and comprised mottled grey “stone” sections surrounding a drain cover. The backdrop consisted of misshapen doorways, an industrial staircase and a mezzanine revealing more doors. All dimly lit by overhead metal lamps. A large central opening was hung with wide plastic strips through which most of the action took place....

Here & Now: The Steps Musical – Grand Opera House

12Feb

By Adam CraddockNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Here & Now: The Steps Musical – Grand Opera House

Tonight, I had the pleasure of being invited along to Grand Opera House York to review the UK touring production of “Here and Now”, the brand new musical based on the songs of Steps. I knew pretty much nothing at all about this show going into it, knowing only one or two of Steps’ songs and my only knowledge of the plot being from one production image, so needless to say I was going into this pretty blind and neutral. The show is based in the seaside supermarket Better Best Bargains and revolves around a core group of four employees, Caz, Vel, Neeta and Robbie, as they make a pact together for a summer of love to come but this is put in peril when their workplace faces closure. We follow the twists and turns this friendship takes (and believe me there are plenty of twists, just not all ...

A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong – Festival Theatre

12Feb

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong – Festival Theatre

Based on their 2017 BBC television special, Mischief Theatre's A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong was directed by Matt DiCarlo, with associate director Sydney Stevenson. Mischief Theatre's bread and butter are the literally named “Goes Wrong” shows (including The Play That Goes Wrong, The Goes Wrong Show, Mind Mangler - Member of the Tragic Circle, Magic Goes Wrong, Mischief Movie Night and Peter Pan Goes Wrong) which was directed by , and in this one, the Cornley Drama Society, a familiar staple of their shows, are casting a production of the seasonal Dickens classic, led by their director Chris/Scrooge (Daniel Fraser) and assistant Annie (Nancy Zamit). Unfortunately their casting pool is not what they would like, leading to a cast which includes drama course recidivist Max (Matt Cavendis...

11Feb

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Single White Female – Opera House

Single White Female at the Opera House Manchester brings a glossy and unsettling slice of 90s psychological thriller into the modern theatrical spotlight. Adapted from the original 1992 film by Rebecca Reid and directed by Gordon Greenberg, this stage version walks a careful line between homage and reinvention. The plot centres on Allie, a recently separated single mother attempting to rebuild her life after the breakdown of her marriage. Advertising for a lodger, she welcomes the seemingly friendly and helpful Hedy into her home. What begins as a tentative friendship soon spirals into obsession as Hedy gradually insinuates herself into every aspect of Allie’s life, blurring identities, manipulating relationships/friendships and threatening the fragile stability Allie has worked so hard...