Thursday, December 19

Tag: Floral Pavilion

By the Waters of Liverpool – Floral Pavilion
North West

By the Waters of Liverpool – Floral Pavilion

Pulse Stage Productions in association with Bill Elms bring the follow up to Twopence to cross the Mersey, By the Waters of Liverpool, to the Floral Pavilion for its final date of the UK tour.  By the Waters of Liverpool continues to tell the story of Helen Forrester (Emma Mulligan) and her family in the 1930s as they have been forced to leave behind their nannies, servants and middle-class life as Helen’s father went bankrupt during the Great Depression. The story is told through narration by the actors themselves, talking to the audience to set the scene or tell you how their characters are feeling, which is where, at points, it became a little confusing as there is no separation from dialogue to narration, the actors just continued talking within the scene, feeling quite disjoin...
Cirque: The Greatest Show – Floral Pavilion
North West

Cirque: The Greatest Show – Floral Pavilion

Music, magic, mime and a variety of daring acts. Cirque blasts you through them all in this melange of talent. Definitely one the kids will enjoy, there are playground giggles and mystifying moments. It is a fun, feelgood escape. Offering a night like no other, Cirque draws you in to a chaotic world where musical theatre meets circus spectacle. Where else can you experience hits from showstopping musicals, see thrilling feats of daring and become engrossed in the life of a lonely but lively mime artist (Christian Lee)? The show opens with Lee entering a competition for a glorious technicolour TV - where winning it becomes a truly transformative experience. Getting to grips with his new technicolour television, we accompany Lee on a journey through a variety of talents. From hand b...
Rhythm of the Dance – Floral Pavilion
North West

Rhythm of the Dance – Floral Pavilion

The National Dance Company of Ireland present a show that has celebrated the beauty of Irish song and Dance for over 20 years now. Performed by an ensemble of flawless professional dancers to upbeat and traditional Irish musicians and live singers. Blending snippets of story without dialogue is a special thing to see, presenting us with Irelands history from the old to the new. You can see why it has been popular for so long. The best moments were certainly when they all danced together in unison, showcasing their dedication to the craft. I can understand how these dancers have done so since a very young age and winning lots of awards along the way. Their dance was brought to life with the talented musicians using traditional Irish instruments such as the violin, drums, or should I say ...
Aida – Floral Pavilion
North West

Aida – Floral Pavilion

What better way to spend an evening than with a story of love, betrayal and heartbreak against a backdrop of war in Ancient Egypt? Composed by Giuseppe Verdi and performed by the Ukrainian National Opera, Aida takes the audience on an expedition of emotion. Picture the stage lit and an air of anticipation. Conductor Puchkov Ihor pops his head above the pit with a lively smile before gently bringing the orchestra to life. The curtains lift. Upon the stage, Egyptian General Radames (Oleksii Srebnytskyi) is quietly hoping that he will be chosen to lead his country in war against Ethiopia that the counsel, Ramfis (Maksym Ivashchuk) has just informed him about. The King confirms it - Radames is joyous! However, the woman he is besotted with, Aida (Olena Dolhina) just happens to be the ...
The Verdict – Floral Pavilion, New Brighton
North West

The Verdict – Floral Pavilion, New Brighton

A thought-provoking timeless courtroom drama questioning the value of a human life. The audience as the jury has to spin the moral compass, judging the ‘playground of the rich’ where class, status and money attempt to hinder values and honesty.       Margaret May Hobbs adaption of Barry Reed’s ‘The Verdict’ is brought to life by Middle Ground Theatre Company as part of its National UK/Eire Tour.  Hard-drinking, ambulance chasing, Lawyer Frank Galvin (strongly portrayed by Jason Merrells) is given the chance to resuscitate his fledging career by taking on the biggest case of his life: the Catholic Church, St Catherine’s hospital and their ‘blue blooded’ representatives. Galvin rejects temp...
<strong>Cinderella – Floral Pavilion</strong>
North West

Cinderella – Floral Pavilion

Floral Pavilion and Martin Dodd for UK Productions bring Cinderella to audiences this festive season. With a cast known from TV, Pop bands to theatre stars, there was an array of talent on stage tonight. Cinderella follows the story of a young girl, Cinders, who is treated unfairly by her stepsisters and follows the handsome Prince Charming as he throws a ball to find the girl of his dreams. This evening’s show was their first day of performances and as an I felt that they had not yet fully settled in. There were a few issues with sound where, on numerous occasions, mics did not come on at the beginning of people’s lines meaning the audience were missing bits of dialogue. In the larger numbers in the show, the band seemed to completely overshadow the cast on stage, again, leaving the au...
Twopence To Cross The Mersey – Floral Pavilion
North West

Twopence To Cross The Mersey – Floral Pavilion

Adapted by Rob Fennah from Helen Forrester’s million-selling book and directed by Gareth Tudor Price, Twopence To Cross The Mersey is a period drama set in the early 1930’s during the Great Depression. Helen’s (Jenny Murphy) spendthrift father (Mark Moraghan) has been declared bankrupt forcing the family to leave behind the nannies, servants, and beautiful middle-class home in the south of England. With little more than the clothes they stand up in, the family take the train to Liverpool where they hope to rebuild their shattered lives, although mother (Lynn Francis) is plagued by other doubts, but it is not the wealthy port that used to exist as the city too has changed and fallen on harder times. With the parents looking for work, Helen is taken out of school to look after her sibl...
Strictly Presents: Keeeep Dancing – Floral Pavilion
North West

Strictly Presents: Keeeep Dancing – Floral Pavilion

Imagine dancing all your life, becoming one of the best Ballroom and Latin dancers in the country, and then getting a phone call from the Strictly Come Dancing production team…only for them to ask for your (now ex) wife. That’s the amusing moment we see played out by Neil Jones, one of ‘Strictly’s’ pro veterans (who did get his own call) as we are introduced to our ensemble tonight. ‘Strictly Presents…’ is an extension of the live tour that followed the behemoth BBC show, which itself continues to draw in millions of viewers each series. Former celebrity contestants Maisie Smith and Rhys Stephenson join a team of four ‘Strictly’ Pros (Jones, Cameron Lombard, Jowita Pzystat and Nancy Xu) alongside fellow alumnus Max George from The Wanted providing a few musical turns throughout th...
Red Hot Chilli Pipers – Floral Pavilion Theatre
North West

Red Hot Chilli Pipers – Floral Pavilion Theatre

Bagpipes with attitude, drums with a Scottish accent and a show so hot it carries its own health warning – that’s what the Red Hot Chilli Pipers sell themselves as and they do not disappoint! I went in cold but came out hot. Currently performing their 20th anniversary tour, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers are a Celtic rock band who bring the house down with their own unique blend of bagpipes, rock music and a relentless command of the stage that screams ‘we’re here to have fun and so are you!’ A combination of guitars, keyboards, drums and bagpipes create their unique, self-proclaimed 'bagrock' sound. This is not a sit down recital of several set pieces. Picture the energy of Queen, the stage presence of Elvis and the tradition of a marching band and you have something that resembles this ...
Eric & Ern – Floral Pavilion
North West

Eric & Ern – Floral Pavilion

How do you replicate the diamond duo of Morecombe and Wise, held in Britain’s comedy consciousness with an abundance of affection? Can the captivating chemistry between them ever be replicated? Watching actors Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel on stage, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in a time-warp! They are exceptionally uncanny. Playing all the right notes in the right order, Eric & Ern manages to imitate the inimitable. It is unmissable. Not only do they look incredibly convincing as the renowned double-act, their mannerisms and timing mesh together to create a live show that captures the essence of Morecombe and Wise’s magic – nothing is lost. It is a true feat of necromancy. With high expectations from fans and newbies alike, we’re greeted by Stephens and Ashpitel openi...