David Griffiths Archives - North West End UK

27Nov

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

The Signalman – Thingwall Hall

ArtsGroupie CIC presents this retelling of Charles Dickens’s classic ghost story which was written after Dickens himself survived a train crash; adapted and directed by David Griffiths, it is performed by John Maguire and Zoran Blackie. This haunting story is performed in almost total blackness, the only lights being the signalman’s two signal lamps which are used throughout, sometimes blinding the audience and at other times utilised to uplight the performers faces or to help portray large shadows on the stage backdrop. The only other lighting is a red coloured lamp depicting a fire in the corner of the signalman’s hut. The production opens with the stage in pitch darkness, eerie background music playing with a stark set consisting of two wooden boxes serving as seating for the play...

12Jul

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Rumours – Thingwall Community Centre

Under the capable direction of Paul Arends, Thingwall Players excel in their Anglified delivery of one of Neil Simon’s most farcical of plays where the humour comes thick and fast and the only risk of missing a gag is that you’re still in fits of laughter from the previous one. This 1980’s tale reset to London involves a 10th wedding anniversary party to which the first couple, the Bevans (Charlotte Holguin; Zoran Blackie) arrive only to find the wife and servants missing and the husband doped up on painkillers with a gunshot wound through one of his earlobes. Desperate to avoid any scandal for the wounded man, who happens to be the assistant deputy minister of finance, the first couple, both lawyers, try to cover up the incident from the second couple, the Cummings (Kate Mulvi...

Midsummer Night’s Scream – Shakespeare North Playhouse

20Jun

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Midsummer Night’s Scream – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Well, what a wonderful pastime – to sit in an intimate circle, on a balmy summer evening (long awaited summer evening, I might add) in the garden theatre space - dedicated to the marvellous Sir Ken Dodd, listening to two incredible orators read spellbinding clips from three stories, all which had a spooky theme running through them - that kept every punter mesmerised. I must admit I was not aware circle, scripts to see, I adore the Shakespeare North Theatre in Prescott, as in addition to the classic Shakespearian comedies or tragedies, there is always the opportunity to see raw, new theatre, astonishing talent and varied layers of artistry and tonight was no exception, as the two readers – John Maguire and David Griffiths - stood within our circle, scripts in hand, reading through the...

The Signalman – Metal Culture, Liverpool

6Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

The Signalman – Metal Culture, Liverpool

From ArtsGroupie, the producers of Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse and A Portrait of William Roscoe, comes a slice of winter terror with a new adaptation from David Griffiths, who also directs, of the much-loved Charles Dickens supernatural classic, The Signalman. Following the arrival of a somewhat lost and larger than life visitor (John Maguire) at a remote signal box on a dark winter night, the solitary railway signalman (Zoran Blackie) tells him of a spectre that has been haunting him with each appearance preceding a tragic event on the railway on which the signalman works, a deep cutting near a tunnel entrance on a lonely stretch of the railway line where he controls the movement of the passing trains and is alerted to danger by his fellow signalmen via the telegraph and alarms. T...

27Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

1984 –Thingwall Community Centre

George Orwell’s dystopian novel, originally published in 1949, is a cautionary tale, drawing on the then recent insights into Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany, examining the role of truth and facts within politics and the way in which they are manipulated. This dramatisation is constructed almost entirely from dialogue taken from the original novel. Winston Smith (Zoran Blackie) is in prison, found guilty of Thoughtcrimes against Big Brother. As part of his reconstruction, led by O’Brien (John Maguire), he must re-enact key moments from his past life, with the help of other thought criminals playing key characters including re-enacted versions of himself (John Reynolds) and O’Brien (Kate Mulvihill) as well as Parsons (Michael Silverman) and Charrington (Vicki Griffiths), so that everyo...

30May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

NEWS

Big Brother Is Watching You

Liverpool community theatre company, Thingwall Players, returns following a sold-out panto with an adaption of the science fiction classic Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell, directed by Gateacre based director and playwright David Griffiths. The play will be staged at Thingwall Community Centre in Wavertree, 23rd to 25th June at 7:30pm. Tickets are £10 (£7 Concessions) and available from www.trybooking.co.uk/bpcr Winston Smith is in prison, found guilty of Thoughtcrimes against Big Brother. As part of his reconstruction, he must re-enact key moments from his past life, with the help of other thought criminals, so that everyone can learn from his mistakes. Including his biggest mistake of all: falling in love with Julia. George Orwell's classic dystopia Nineteen Eighty Four...