Alexandra Theatre Archives - North West End UK

Death on the Nile – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

8Apr

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Death on the Nile – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

It’s mysterious that when Agatha Christie decided to adapt her novel “Death on the Nile” for stage she was so tired of Hercule Poirot, who, of course, so ably solved the murder in the book, she cut him out. “Death on the Nile” without Hercules Parrot as Maggie Smith misnames him in the movie? Yes, she re-wrote the novel as “Murder on the Nile” and instead of a Belgian she substituted an Archdeacon. Clear? I won’t muddy the waters of the Egyptian river by also mentioning the book started as a play titled “Moon on the Nile” before Agatha adapted it into a book with Poirot which then became a play without him which then became a film with him and is now, in the safe hands of Ken Ludwig, a play with him once again. A tortuous trail of disappearances and re-appearances to test the greatest of l...

Slava’s Snow Show – Alexandra Theatre Birmingham

13Nov

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Slava’s Snow Show – Alexandra Theatre Birmingham

An old man goes to see a psychiatrist in Switzerland complaining of deep depression. The psychiatrist tells him to go see Grock, the greatest and funniest clown in all of Switzerland. No one could see Grock and not come away delighted, entertained and inspired, he says. Grock takes all the worries off us for a few hours every night, he says. The old man looks up with sad eyes and softly says, “But I am Grock!” Clowns have hopped, bounced, bo-inged, flipped and prat-fell around the edges of show biz for centuries. Every era has its clown. Shakespeare had Will Kempe, during the regency period we had Joseph Grimaldi and today we have Slava Polunin who, though now 75, brings us an astounding piece of theatrical wonder which has been delighting audiences since 2009. Slava says “…One day I re...

Dear Evan Hansen – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

23Oct

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Dear Evan Hansen – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

If you were born in this new century and nestle within the demographic that favours “Glee” “Big Bang Theory” then “Dear Evan Hansen” seems designed just for you. For those of us outside that very slim group it remains an anomaly. The show itself has an undoubted pedigree having opened on Broadway in 2016 with music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul (whose credits include the glorious “The Greatest Showman” and the awful sounding “Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz”) with a book by Steven Levenson, produced by Marc Platt and starring Ben Platt - note the shared surname making lesser critics wonder if that nepo-element may go some way to explain the show’s weaknesses, but, hey, it won nine Tony Awards! The show has toured endlessly, had a long West End, a badly received film - and people love...

28May

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Mind Mangler – Alexandra Theatre

‘From the comedic minds behind “The Play That Goes Wrong” and “Peter Pan Goes Wrong”’ boasts the poster. Featuring two of the original “Play Goes Wrong” creators - Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer, both accomplished and veteran go-wrongers, with impressive CVs of chucklesome achievements and each with an enviable comedic reputation. The stakes and standards are high. Will the expectations and the boasts be met? Add into the alluring mix a couple of familiar names from the world of sleight of hand - Penn and Teller, though neither are present, their influence is felt. A perfunctory sniff around the branding and website would suggest a comedy magic show with a dollop of mind-reading leading to, as they used to say in the Radio Times, hilarious consequences. “The Play That Goes Wrong” was a daz...

26Apr

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Home, I’m Darling – Alexandra Theatre

Laura Wade has held her own as both a playwright and screenwriter with numerous successes to her name. “The Riot Club” was adapted from her play “Posh” offered early career chances to Freddie Fox and Tom Hollander and she soon has an adapted of agilely Cooper novel coming our from Disney. “Home, I’m Darling” opened at the National Theatre in 2019 followed by a season at the Duke of York’s and has proved itself a hit which left me wondering what I was missing. A small but keen audience arrived last night at the Alexandra and clearly enjoyed their evening. Tamara Harvey directs with attention to detail but creates scenes of such speed I was left a little bewildered. The tempo of each scene and pitch of so many of the voices is relentlessly similar and makes for a hard watch. Jessica Ranso...

6Apr

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

East Midlands

Annie – Alexandra Theatre

No One Cares For You a Smidge When You’re In An Orphanage Well, that’s the first production of “Annie” I’ve seen that ended with the theme tune to “Blankety Blank” - and for very good and poignant reasons. Read to the end to find out why… Like the Allied Carpets sale which never ended “Annie” is out on tour as if it were ever not on tour. Endless generations of kids have been weened on the show and the demand never seems to wane. It’s a staunch Broadway warhorse which has been inflicting its schmaltz on unsuspecting and, indeed, suspecting audiences since 1977 when it was wrenched kicking and screaming from a newspaper comic strip and thrust upon the Broadway to wild, unstinting and, it seems, endless acclaim. We gave them “Oliver!” they reupholstered him, changed his sex and gave hi...

The Mirror Crack’d – Alexandra Theatre Birmingham

16Feb

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The Mirror Crack’d – Alexandra Theatre Birmingham

Miss Marple first surreptitiously ambled onto the crime scene in 1927 and she was very old even then. Since her first appearance in “The Tuesday Night Club” she has solved more murders than is normal for one petite detective to encounter in a lifetime and all without forensic tools, magnifying glass or DNA. “A Murder at the Vicarage” saw her first appearance in a full length novel, which, suspiciously, is the very novel on which your current reviewer is embarked. Spooky and perhaps a tad revealing. But I mustn’t mix up my murders! Miss Marple would not approve. The first actress to play our erstwhile spinster was (interesting fact for detective fans) our very own Gracie Fields in a 1956 episode of “Goodyear TV Playhouse” and many notable actresses have followed in her tiny footsteps - A...

South Pacific – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

28Sep

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

South Pacific – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

For a show 73 years old, “South Pacific” more than holds its own in the modern world. Its central premise, which is fleetingly mentioned in James A. Michener’s novel “Tales of the South Pacific” but given full-flight in the musical adaptation by those giants of Broadway, Rodgers and Hammerstein, is one of racism - a subject as pertinent today as in 1949. The cross-race romance is explored deftly and sensitively, and prejudices are challenged. But this is not a preaching show. This is slap-bang Broadway classic which ran for over five years on its initial run. So, expect some solid, stonking numbers - which we get in abundance. Daniel Evans, newly appointed co-director of the RSC, helmed this ship into safe harbour when he was in charge in Chichester and he has re-shaped, re-imagined, re...

30Jun

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Guys and Dolls – Alexandra Theatre

BMOS Musical Theatre Company has returned to The Alexandra Theatre Birmingham stage with their rendition of the popular Broadway classic musical, Guys and Dolls. BMOS are Birmingham’s award-winning musical theatre company, clearly excited to bring this funny musical story of luck, gambling, and love under the bright lights of Broadway to life. Guys and Dolls has been enjoyed by audiences since the 1950s, initially as a musical, then as a film starring Marlon Brando, Gene Simmons, Frank Sinatra, and Vivian Blaine. Tonight's press showing coincided with the BSL (British Sign language) performance, and it was nice to see this inclusion within the theatre on stage, allowing the theatre to be accessible to everybody. The production values of this performance were incredible. There were ma...

20Apr

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Footloose – The Alexandra

Go cut loose down at The Alexandra Theatre Birmingham where Footloose has unashamedly danced its way into town. This fan favourite musical promises to be a smash hit. This musical is based on the 1984 film of the same name, with music by Tom Snow, lyrics from Dean Pitchford, and the book by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. The show tells the story of Ren McCormack, an ordinary teen from Chicago who moves to a small town where dancing is banned. Ren attempts to overturn this ban and convince the town to get on its feet, resulting in moments of hilarity, triumph, and self-discovery. The music stole the show for me with classic 80s hits including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let's Hear It for the Boy and of course the unforgettable title track Footloose. The iconic songs had the...