Latest Articles - Page 96 of 669

27Jun

By Karen Morley-ChesworthNo Comments

North West

Noises Off – Theatre by the Lake

The summer season is underway in the Lake District, and Theatre by the Lake is attracting many tourists to see a farce about a farce that wouldn’t have looked out of place in an end-of-pier theatre. Noises Off, in some ways, is the mother of the hugely successful ‘Play that went wrong’ productions that are taking the West End and TV by storm. Written in 1982 by Michael Frayn, it breaks the fourth wall and literally turns the theatre 180 degrees to present the behind-the-curtain tale of a touring theatre company. Though written in the 1980s, this farce has a much earlier feel to it, and some of the references may be lost on a younger audience. A telephone plugged into the wall is a key part of the production, as is the stereotype of the alcoholic old actor and the Benny Hill-style you...

The Highwayman – Shakespeare North Playhouse

27Jun

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Highwayman – Shakespeare North Playhouse

With more swagger than Ronaldo, Mick Jagger, and the cast of Made in Chelsea combined, this lively John Godber production gallops onto stage to introduce us to the most infamous scoundrel you’ve never actually heard of. Meet John Swift, a young man who decides to combine his skills as a butcher and infantryman in the French army to attempt to take Dick Turpin’s crown, robbing a living from the rich who pass through his town. But as he starts to waver in his choice of a life of crime, can he find a way of making an honest wage and afford his darling wife, Molly May the lifestyle she desires? Under Godber’s nimble direction, the show manages to keep one foot in the 18th century and the other firmly in his trademark Yorkshire grit and humour. It’s part restoration love story, part farci...

Fishnets and Fame: Adam Strong Embraces His Dream Role

26Jun

By NewsdeskNo Comments

Interviews

Fishnets and Fame: Adam Strong Embraces His Dream Role

Bright lights, corsets, and glorious transgression: this July, the iconic Hull New Theatre will be taken over by one of stage musical’s most outrageous characters—Dr Frank ’n’ Furter. Standing centre stage is Adam Strong, the Sunderland-born performer embarking on his debut in this legendary role as part of the blockbuster UK tour running from 14th to 19th July. Where are you from? I grew up in Sunderland and am based just outside of Durham, although I'm never there due to work. When did you first realise you had some talent and who encouraged you? My sister was a dancer for many years, and I used to love watching her, especially in the panto at the Sunderland Empire, which she did for many years. She was the one who encouraged me to get started in musical theatre and hel...

26Jun

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Kinky Boots – Sheffield Lyceum

The Sheffield Lyceum gets Kinky this week with the iconic Red Boots, and sass galore graces its stage. Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes you from the anything but glamorous 'Price and Son' shoe factory in Northampton to the dazzling catwalks of Milan in this sassy, vivacious and heart warming tale of true British grit with catchy songs by Tony and Grammy Award winning eighties pop princess, Cyndi Lauper and a Book by Harvey Fierstein. With exceptional choreography on this tour by Leah Hill and pacey precise direction by Nikolai Foster adding to strong and full score under the Musical supervision of George Dyer, Kinky Boots both technically and in production is a touring tapestry of tease and tenderness. Set and costume Design by Robert Jones is in situ and avoids unnecessary...

26Jun

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

The Croft – Festival Theatre

Returning to the stage after Covid-19 prematurely ended its original run, The Croft, directed by Alastair Whatley and written by Ali Milles provided many a fright when it opened in Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre. Set in a former crofters hut in a remote area of the Scottish Highlands, this production sees Laura (Gracie Follows) and Suzanne (Caroline Harker) arrive for what is meant to be a relaxed weekend trip. It isn’t long before the place’s centuries of history weaves itself into the women’s present. With no phone signal available and only the mysterious David (Gray O’Brien) for company, this thrilling piece of theatre connects past and present as the real truth of The Croft slowly unravels. The whole pace of the show is fantastic. Running at 2 hours, including the interval, audienc...

26Jun

By Ralph JeffreysNo Comments

London

Orpheus Descending – The Cockpit

Orpheus Descending is a difficult and unwieldy play in which the creative team and especially the cast of this production do an excellent job of infusing with serious energy and inventiveness. Orpheus Descending is another of Tennessee Williams plays set in small town USA examining the knotty and repressed relationships of its residents. Mostly we follow the story of Val Xavier (Johnathan Aarons), an outsider with a sordid past who is trying to make a new life for himself. He is quickly drawn into the maelstrom of the town. He is pursued by Carol Cutrere (Daisy Hargreaves), the town’s own scandal, who both wants him romantically and is trying to warn him of the potential danger he is in. Soon, however, Val is falling in love with Lady Torrance (Madison Coppola), the daughter of an I...

26Jun

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

This Bitter Earth – Soho Theatre

Following his recent turn as Emcee in Cabaret, American actor Billy Porter has clearly developed a taste for the West End. This time, however, he’s on directing duty, as he stages a new production of Harrison David Rivers’ play This Bitter Earth at Soho Theatre. It follows the relationship between Black playwright Jesse (Omari Douglas) and his white BLM activist boyfriend Neil (Alexander Lincoln), with fragmented snapshots of their love story playing out against the tragic backdrop of the killings of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and more Black people facing police brutality. Porter’s jaunty personal style translates to a slick and energetic staging, weaving the non-linear narrative together carefully through simple movement, props, and lighting changes. There are no other characte...

26Jun

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

North West

Evita – Capstone Theatre

One of the country’s oldest musical theatre society the Bentley Operatic Society once again proves its enduring legacy with a stirring production of Evita at the Capstone Theatre. The iconic musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber follows the meteoric rise and tragic demise of Eva Perón. Under the direction of Alice McCormack this staging breathes fresh energy into the decades-old classic by adopting a minimalist modern era approach. This production also introduces Rosa Harrison as a new concept of ‘Young Eva’ From the outset, the production captivates. The dimly lit opening sequence, announcing Eva Perón’s death, sets an immediate tone of reverence before seamlessly transitioning into the vibrant narrative of her early ambitions. In spite of some early technical issues narrator ...

25Jun

By Zak RosenNo Comments

London

54.60 Africa – Arcola Theatre

In 54.60 Africa, what begins as a funeral for a continent quickly turns into a breathless adventure as ten friends of different ages and backgrounds, all members of the diaspora in London, spurred on by their Mother Africa, seek to discover and document all those 54 countries, and all that one and a half billion people, have to offer. All in one week. All in time for Gambia’s 60th anniversary of independence. From South Africa to Tunisia, Cameroon to Seychelles, Kenya to the Republic of Congo, this show is nothing short of extraordinary. Written and directed by Femi Elufowoju jr and based on his own experiences visiting all 54 African nations before his 60th birthday, 54.60 Africa approaches the events on stage with a simultaneous vitality and thoughtfulness, deeply attentive to the hum...

Full Cast Announced for The Addams Family UK Tour

25Jun

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Full Cast Announced for The Addams Family UK Tour

Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment and John Stalker Productions with co-producers ADAMA Entertainment and Guy James are delighted to announce the full cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY The Musical Comedy UK tour which will run at Birmingham Hippodrome from 10th – 12th July 2025, Curve, Leicester from 15th July – 10th August, Lowry, Salford from 12th – 16th August 2025, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury from 19th – 23rd August and Blackpool Opera House from 26th – 30th August. Joining the company are Jak Allen-Anderson (Pippin, Theatre Royal; Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre) as ensemble and cover Lurch, Abigail Brodie (Guys and Dolls, Savoy Theatre, UK Tour; Hello Dolly!, Leicester) as ensemble and cover Morticia, JR Ballantyne (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West End) as ensemble and ...