Carlton Players Archives - North West End UK

Flint Street Nativity – The Little Theatre, Birkenhead

7Nov

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Flint Street Nativity – The Little Theatre, Birkenhead

As the first play of their series, The Carlton Players bring Tim Firth’s Flint Street Nativity to the Little Theatre in Birkenhead. As I enter the Little Theatre this evening, I instantly feel warm and welcome. My first visit to this lovey theatre and it certainly won’t be the last. With a lovely bar/waiting area downstairs and the auditorium upstairs, the ushers couldn’t do enough to make our visit a great one. One thing that stands out is the accessibility of the building, for such an old building, there is a lift down to the bar and a lift up to the auditorium, something that makes a return visit cemented in my eyes. Directed by Marc Smith, we are transported to Miss Horricks’ class where the juniors are putting on their nativity. But will everything go smoothly? We are about to f...

Lettice & Lovage – Little Theatre Birkenhead

28Feb

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Lettice & Lovage – Little Theatre Birkenhead

Director Mike Sanders has Peter Shaffer’s super witty script to work with but whether a mix of first night nerves and learning curves, this production from the Carlton Players doesn’t really take full advantage of its snappy pacing and eye rolling bon mots. Lettice Duffet (Katy Downes), an expert on Elizabethan cuisine and medieval weaponry, is an indefatigable but daffy enthusiast of history and the theatre which she combines in her role as a tour guide at Fustian House, one of the least stately of London’s stately homes. As she theatrically embellishes its historical past, much to a mix of surprise, consternation, and pleasure from visiting tourists (Phyllis Brighouse; Lynda Critchley; Richard Isles; Rebcca Williams; Lucy Ashdown; Sallyanne Nelson; Gareth Crawshaw), she ultimately com...

September In The Rain – Little Theatre, Birkenhead

3Feb

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

September In The Rain – Little Theatre, Birkenhead

A charming, funny piece of nostalgia. The Carlton Players continue their season with Godber’s nostalgic and gentle comedy, loosely based on the writer’s own grandparents. Liz and Jack have holidayed in Blackpool from newlyweds in the 1950s until old age in the 1990s. Never missing a year, they’d make their way from Yorkshire across the A59 to the seaside resort with its boarding houses, fun fair, deckchairs and donkeys. Originally written as a radio play, this has been a popular choice for theatre groups over the past forty years. A two-hander, where both characters speak to the audience and take on the roles of other characters to recall their stories: some sentimental or amusing, others laugh-out-loud funny. Liz and Jack certainly have their spats and shouting matches b...

Steptoe and Son – Birkenhead Little Theatre

3Oct

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Steptoe and Son – Birkenhead Little Theatre

Perfectly timed, well-staged and loaded with laughs, the Carlton Players production of Steptoe and Son is not to be missed. Performing three episodes of the legendary TV series, the company revived the art of performance. The audiences have previously suggested which shows should be included and these are the ones that are brought to life on stage. There is a feel of the audience being part of the production as you view. Steptoe and Son, directed by Steve Youster, includes Desperate Hours; Seance in a Wet Rag and Bone Yard; and Live Now P.A.Y.E later. Before attending I wasn't a Steptoe and Son fan - I didn't think the jokes landed very well and am too young to enjoy the nostalgia factor that a show like this can bring. However, seeing the episodes brought to life on stage in this...

April in Paris – Birkenhead Little Theatre

2Feb

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

April in Paris – Birkenhead Little Theatre

Imagine winning a prize that whisks you away from the humdrum of life and the everyday. The kind of prize that offers excitement, opportunity and escapism with a bit of romance thrown in. That’s exactly what happens to lead characters Bet and Al in April in Paris. Entrenched in the monotony of existence, we join them as they inadvertently expand their horizons thanks to Bet winning in a ‘Romantics Breaks’ competition. Bet enters them for ‘a new life’. Al was sure she wouldn’t win. John Godber’s short observational play is layered with juxtapositions the audience can identify with - humour and depression, love and loathing, hope and pessimism – making the show a thought-provoking watch. With bags packed and contrasting enthusiasm, Bet and Al head to Paris for their first experience ab...