Latest Articles - Page 612 of 641

31Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS, NWE UK Live

Fireworks – Yazmin Walker

She's back! Our very own Yazmin tells us why this year's Halloween and Bonfire celebrations being cancelled may not be a bad thing after all! https://youtu.be/-HPwZpdVZzk

Casting announced for A Christmas Carol at Leeds Playhouse

31Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Casting announced for A Christmas Carol at Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse have announced the cast for their festive show A Christmas Carol which was a hit in the pop-up theatre created when they closed down for a multi-million pound refurbishment. This time audiences in the Quarry Theatre will be transported back to a traditional Victorian theatre where spectral performers have been patiently waiting for a chance to share a familiar adventure. Jack Lord, last seen at the Playhouse in Oliver Twist, will lead the cast as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who finds redemption after a night from hell. He’ll be joined by Stephen Collins and Nadia Nadarajah playing Bob and Mrs Cratchit. The cast also includes some familiar faces from the Leeds Playhouse Pop-Up theatre ensemble, including Dan Parr as Young Scrooge and Fred, Tessa Parr who played Ham...

Tales from the Tombstone Tavern: Vlad – Ameena Hamid Productions Ltd

31Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Tales from the Tombstone Tavern: Vlad – Ameena Hamid Productions Ltd

The penultimate episode of Tales from the Tombstone Tavern, the new six part podcast series written by Delmar Terblanche and directed by Jamie Boucher, takes a terrifying turn into the dark and murky world of the occult with a disturbing tale narrated by Vlad Dracul (Joshua Manning). This episode opens with our monsters discussing zombies and their place in the horror genre. While Wolfgang (Percival Fagent) and Vlad maintain that they aren’t scary anymore, unless they are given a gimmick, Adam (Delmar Terblanche) wonders if they have a place, otherwise why would people keep coming back to them when creating new stories? Vlad answers this question by outlining his theory that horror reflects our own anxieties and zombies are scary because they represent the worst fear of all: the loss...

31Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Midnight Tango – The Shows Must Go On

As part of the Shows Must Go On season, the 2011 production of Midnight Tango takes to the stage with a dazzling, vibrant and totally beguiling production. Framed by a simple tale of two people who meet at a seedy late night bar in Buenos Aires circa 1947 and eventually fall in love, this magnificent dance show is simply breath-taking both in concept and delivery. Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, both from Strictly Come Dancing lead the cast of eight other professional tango dancers in a superb sequence of both traditional and Argentine tango and they both prove to be two of the finest exponents of this complicated and passionate dance. The show is produced by another Strictly legend Arlene Philips and superbly choreographed by Simone and Cacace who both brilliantly highlight th...

Tales from the Tombstone Tavern: Shirley – Ameena Hamid Productions Ltd

31Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Tales from the Tombstone Tavern: Shirley – Ameena Hamid Productions Ltd

Episode 4 of Tales from the Tombstone Tavern, the new six part podcast series written by Delmar Terblanche and directed by Jamie Boucher, delves into the classic genre of ghost stories as we hear from one of the ironically quieter monsters around the table, Lady Shirley Edith James, the Wailing Woman (Anna Chedham-Cooper). When this episode opens our monsters are ill at ease with Adam (Delmar Terblanche), in particular, being on edge and Annie (Sena Bryer) agreeing that something doesn’t seem quite right. Coming back to the point of the challenge, Shirley brings the discussion around to what it is we actually want from horror. For her, the shock factor of Wolfgang’s (Percival Fagent) story is not enough. There needs to be more to create genuine fear, the emotional response audiences ...

Philharmonia: ‘American Dreams’ – Royal Festival Hall

31Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Philharmonia: ‘American Dreams’ – Royal Festival Hall

After being away from their London home since March 2020, Philharmonia have come together (albeit in a socially distanced way), to stage this concert celebrating the work of Aaron Copland, Florence Price, Steve Reich and Igor Stravinsky. Conducted by the Orchestra’s Principal Conductor Designate Santtu-Matias Rouvali, this is a wonderful opportunity for the Orchestra to celebrate their 75th Anniversary and to help to raise funds to enable them to continue to produce their lively performances. The performance begins with Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, written in 1943-4, this piece was composed for choreographer Martha Graham who asked Copland to write a new ballet. The story centres around a young couple in 19th Century Pennsylvania who meet, marry and set up home ...

Adult Panto returns to Birmingham this December

27Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Adult Panto returns to Birmingham this December

Due to popular demand, professional Adult Panto returns to Birmingham this December as The Blue Orange Theatre announce Blow White is selling fast! After the “side-splittingly funny!” production of Tinderella last year, The Blue Orange Theatre are delighted to announce another laugh-a-minute, cheeky show that is definitely not for kids or the faint-hearted! Just when you thought you knew this timeless tale… SHA-BLAM! You were wrong. Blow-White raised by an Evil Queen, poisoned by a pink lady, looked after by 7 (technically 8) sisters of perpetual indulgence, and best friends with a rabbit. Is there a Prince who can save her from this nightmare? We can only hope. Come and see the sexy Blow White, gorgeous Prince Charming, naughty Seven (well, 8) and all the gang for this unforgetta...

27Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Leeds Playhouse’s James Brining talks about staging work in a pandemic

Leeds Playhouse was one of the first big regional theatres to reopen their doors after lockdown offering some short works in partnership with Opera North and now they’re back with a more expansive winter season. The team used that short Connecting Voice season to test their safety measures which included temperature checks and rigorous social distancing in the spaces. The fact it was both safe and pretty much sold out made Playhouse Artistic Director James Brining even more determined to offer a bigger winter season to resume playing an active role in the city’s life during this pandemic. “Ultimately the way I feel is we get public money, and are here to give people in the city for lots of different reasons a focus, and some way of connecting and exploring the human predicament,” say...

Tales from the Tombstone Tavern: Wolfgang – Ameena Hamid Productions Ltd

27Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Tales from the Tombstone Tavern: Wolfgang – Ameena Hamid Productions Ltd

Episode 3 of Tales from the Tombstone Tavern, the new six part podcast series written by Delmar Terblanche and directed by Jamie Boucher, takes a violent plunge into the slasher genre, with a gruesome camp-side tale narrated by Wolfgang the Wolfman (Percival Fagent). The episode opens where we last left our group of classic monsters, with Annie, the Mummy (Sena Bryer) still enthusiastically discussing the darker sides of biology to the delight of Wolfgang and the equal disgust of Vlad Dracul (Joshua Manning). Vlad takes advantage of his supernatural powers and hypnotises Wolfgang to force a change of subject which Lady Shirley Edith James, the Wailing Woman (Anna Chedham-Cooper) eagerly supplies. But the vampire’s effect on Wolfgang does not last and he is soon once again declaring t...

The Lure (2020) Horror Short Film – Hounds of the Round Table

26Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

The Lure (2020) Horror Short Film – Hounds of the Round Table

This psychological thriller will have you on edge and avoiding your mobile phone. Hounds of the Round Table is a small, talented and resourceful independent production house from Liverpool. The Lure is where they announce their presence and their intentions to the world. The film tells the story of Toby a depressed man grieving over the death of his girlfriend Laura. Most of the action takes place in Toby’s untidy apartment where he chooses to sleep on the sofa each night and drink himself silly with only his dog, Sergeant, to keep him company. Things quickly take a bizarre twist when Laura starts calling Toby from beyond the grave. A disturbing feature of the film is the image of Toby’s phone lit up with ‘Laura calling’ and the persistent ring tone which blends in seamlessly with...