David Shields Archives - North West End UK

Jack and the Beanstalk: What A Whopper! – Charing Cross Theatre

1Dec

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Jack and the Beanstalk: What A Whopper! – Charing Cross Theatre

For those who think pantomime is merely a children’s festive pastime, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk: What a Whopper!’ gleefully shatters all expectations with its unapologetically adult spin on the classic theatre genre. Written by Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper and directed by Andrew Beckett, this production isn’t just sprinkled with innuendo, it’s flooded in wickedly clever humour and deliciously naughty smut, which keeps the audience roaring with laughter throughout. Photo: Steve Gregson From the moment the curtains rise it is clear that this is not your typical Christmas show. The plot, centered on Jack Trott’s (Keanu Adolphus Johnson) quest for something “truly giant”. Jack is poor, gay, and very horny, living 10 miles from the nearest Grindr user in the quaint Yorkshire Village of U...

But I’m A Cheerleader: The Musical – Turbine Theatre

Based on the 1999 cult comedy film starring Natasha Lyonne and drag icon Ru Paul which has become a queer classic, But I’m A Cheerleader: The Musical, written by Bill Augustin and Andrew Abrams, has been a decade in the making. The show marks the first brand-new musical to be staged at The Turbine Theatre in London. Directed by Tania Azevedo, the show tells the story of Megan (Alice Croft), the all-American high school cheerleader who seemingly has the perfect life with her jock boyfriend and loving parents until she is shipped off to True Directions, a gay conversion camp after they suspect she is a lesbian. Spearheaded by the strict camp leader Mary Brown (Tiffany Graves), Megan undergoes a five-step programme with the hope that it’ll banish her sexual urges when she unexpectedly meet...

Tommy On Top – Above The Stag Theatre

Billed as a “giddy and gloriously foul-mouthed comedy”, the storyline on ‘Tommy On Top’ is one of jeopardy and hilarious lies. Our lead character, Tommy is a closeted Hollywood heartthrob struggling to keep a lid on his love life and he is willing to go to the greatest lengths to achieve his goal, to win the award for his latest movie. After all, no “out” gay man has ever won Best Actor at the Oscars. Fortunately, Tommy isn’t an out gay man, he is very much in the closet. Unfortunately, gossip hack Kiki (Becky Sanneh) suspects he’s got a lot more in his closet than just a freshly pressed white tuxedo... The development of a perfect theatrical farce takes careful planning and structure is everything. It is vital that things happen with exact precision so as never to get lost on the au...