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Star Cast Announced For Cinderella At Epstein Theatre Liverpool This Christmas

14Jun

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Star Cast Announced For Cinderella At Epstein Theatre Liverpool This Christmas

The world’s most loved fairytale is set to entertain Epstein Theatre audiences this Christmas – and today the first fabulous cast members can be revealed. Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn will have a ball playing the title role of Cinderella at the Hanover Street venue. And after appearing digitally in panto’s for the last two years, she will be joined live on the Epstein stage by panto royalty Leanne Campbell, returning by popular demand, who will be waving her magic wand over the Regal Entertainments Ltd show as the Fairy Godmother. Cinderella runs from Friday, 5th December to Sunday, 4th January 2026 at the historic Grade II listed theatre. Tickets, from £20, are on sale from www.epsteintheatre.com Beloved by generations as the greatest fairytale of them all, Rega...

14Jun

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Steel – Park Theatre

Written by Lee Mattinson and first performed at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, Steel centres around two teenage boys from the depressed ex-industrial town of Workington. They are informed that one of them is unexpectedly the beneficiary of an inheritance, from a distant relative, of one mile of British rail track estimated to be worth £1 million. However, there is a catch; the original copy of the contract for the purchase of the track has to be delivered by midnight that same day. This improbable scenario sets the scene for a frantic series of encounters by the beneficiary with almost forgotten relatives, and old school friends with whom he has lost contact. This leads him to relive parts of his earlier life and re-evaluate his relationship with the Lake District and realise what is ...

A Taste of Funny – St Hilda’s, Hunts Cross

14Jun

By NewsdeskNo Comments

North West

A Taste of Funny – St Hilda’s, Hunts Cross

Woolton Drama Group’s inaugural ten-minute play festival in Liverpool, ‘A Taste of Funny; served up five fresh pieces of work, all being performed for the first time, tickling many a funny bone judging by the audience’s reaction throughout the night. An eclectic evening commenced with A Ghost on Penny Lane written by Zoe Marras & Adam Wareing and directed by Marras. Self-centred scouser Billy (John William Reynolds) is visited by a Beatles-obsessed ghost from the 1960s in need of his urgent help. Will Lucy (Ife Babatunde) be able to convince him to do the right thing, or will he just continue to wallow in misery? A humorous tale of relationships and reminiscing. The Morning After written by Kathryn West and directed by Alan Morris introduces us to Brian (Elliot Ross) and Eliza (H...

14Jun

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

…Earnest? – Richmond Theatre

Celebrating 130 years of Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest, Say It Again, Sorry? offer up their own chaotic twist - part homage, part catastrophe. Oscar Wilde meets The Play That Goes Wrong - a heady blend of farce, improv, and gentle audience manipulation. ...Earnest? begins as normal: a servant considers it rude to listen to the piano, then cucumber sandwiches - but then the doorbell rings and Earnest is loudly announced… Yet now, the door stays closed and no one arrives. A quick interruption from the director fills some time while the cast of the play-within-a-play try to figure out how the show will keep going. The answer is simple: an audience member will join them on stage to stand in for the missing actor. When funny, ...Earnest? is hilariously funny. ...

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope – Shakespeare North Playhouse

14Jun

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

North West

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Actor and writer Mark Farrelly’s portrayal of Quentin Crisp is mesmerizing. Under Linda Marlowe’s careful direction, Farrelly delivers a 75-minute performance that is both insightful and engaging. His ability to embody Crisp’s unique mannerisms, voice, and flamboyant style transforms this solo act into an intimate and deep theatrical experience. Naked Hope depicts Crisp at two phases of his remarkable life, firstly alone in the 60’s in his Chelsea flat convinced that life had passed him by and thirty years later as a celebrity who has conquered New York. Crisp, born Dennis Pratt was known for his sharp wit, and Farrelly makes sure these one-liners hit with the right mix of humour and emotion. From the funny yet bittersweet line, “Sex is the last refuge of the miserable; if we do not suf...

14Jun

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Soundhouse: Sian – Traverse Theatre

With tales of criminals, swan hunters, and torrid affairs, folk-group Sian had the audience of the Traverse in awe. Presented by Soundhouse, we were blessed with yet another live folk performance at the Traverse Theatre. Sian is a three-piece group of folk singers, performing exclusively in Gaelic and accompanied by Innes White on electric and acoustic guitar. Composed of Ceitlin Lilidh, Eilidh Cormack, and Ellen MacDonald, this is a group that celebrates its Hebridean roots—featuring songs that tell the traditional stories which have stood the test of time, having been passed down through the ages in areas around Skye and Lewis. The vocal agility and control of Sian is astounding, as they sail through the lilting nature of the pieces with ease. They uphold the rich history of the songs...

14Jun

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

King of Pangea – King’s Head Theatre

King of Pangea is a new musical produced by Jerry Mitchell that takes audiences on an emotional journey through the challenges of growing up, family bonds, illness, and grief. It tells a moving story about a boy named Sam Crow, who grows up in a loving household only to face the devastating impact of cancer—not once, but twice. The musical begins with Sam watching his mother battle and survive cancer. Later, as a university student, he is confronted with a similar situation—but this time, it ends in loss. The narrative powerfully explores how grief reshapes a person's world. Sam Crow is played by Alfie Blackwell, with Tayt Joshua Silvester-Stoller portraying his younger self. Both deliver compelling performances, capturing the deep emotional struggle of processing trauma at a young a...

Refugee Week 2025 Brings First-Ever Community Film Festival to St Helens

14Jun

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Refugee Week 2025 Brings First-Ever Community Film Festival to St Helens

Refugee Week, the UK-wide celebration of arts, culture, and community, returns from 16th to 22nd June 2025 under the theme ‘Community as a Superpower’. An annual event aimed at celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of asylum seekers and refugees living in the UK, St Helens will mark the occasion with a range of events and activities coordinated by St Helens Borough Council’s Refugee Resettlement Service. One of the headline events this year will be the inaugural St Helens Refugee Community Film Festival, which will spotlight powerful stories of migration, asylum, and resilience. The festival features several award-winning films, each accompanied by talks and related activities exploring their themes and relevance. The festival is a collaboration between St H...

13Jun

By David S ClarkeNo Comments

North West

Finding Nemo Jr. – The Forum Theatre

This show was performed by the NK Theatre Arts junior youth theatre members (all 85 of them!) and I cannot remember ever seeing such an enthusiastic bunch of children, many of whom were taking part in their first ever stage show. I must say at the outset that HUGE congratulations must go to Hannah Thomas who in addition to directing the show also took on the role of musical director and choreographer and she excelled in all of these disciplines. I have to say that, going back many years, this must be just about the best production I have seen that Hannah has taken charge of. She really does excel in bringing out the talents of the youngsters in her charge. The storyline of the production is based on the 2003 Pixar animated film of the same name. Living on the great barrier reef off ...

What Does It Take to Slay a Dragon – 53two

13Jun

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

What Does It Take to Slay a Dragon – 53two

The first rule of dramatic writing is to “show not tell”. Drama works best when the audience is engaged in the story, its characters and the conflict that lies within it. They are drawn in and become involved, developing a genuine care for the characters. That feeling may be love, or it may be hate, but they are interested because they are watching something dramatic unfold. It is disruptive, then, for people watching if the actors simply break the fourth wall and just tell them what is happening. Structurally, this play was a mess. The writer, Rebekah Harrison, warned the audience that they were in for something different, and whilst it may be seen as a brave move to tell the story in the way she did, it simply did not work. It stopped you from caring about the characters and made itse...