Gemma Brodrick Archives - North West End UK

20Nov

By NewsdeskNo Comments

North West

Blood Brothers – Palace Theatre

Full disclosure that in well over forty years of watching and reviewing theatre I have always managed to avoid watching this musical paean to our Scouse cousins down the M62. I am certainly in the minority, as since its inception in 1983, Willy Russell’s ‘Liverpudlian Folk Opera’ has been garlanded with awards galore, toured the world and clocked up over 10,000 performances in the West End. So, after a little nudge from my Liverpool FC supporting editor, I braved the November sleet and snow and made the trip to the Palace Theatre in Manchester to catch its latest incarnation and finally see what all the fuss is about. The story of the Johnstone twins ‘as like each other as two new pins’ and their enforced separation - one given a life of rich opportunity whilst the other is condemned to...

26Sep

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

Blood Brothers – Edinburgh Playhouse

Blood Brothers is an emotional morality tale which is all about the narrative, less about the music. Poor and fecund Mrs Johnstone discovers she is expecting twins shortly after starting work as a cleaner for rich infertile Mrs Lyons. With her husband having done a bunk and too many mouths to feed already, Mrs Johnstone agrees to let Mrs Lyons have one of her twins. Conveniently Mr Lyons is away on business for nine months, so Mrs Lyons is able to create the pretence of pregnancy, fooling everybody including her husband, into believing the baby is hers. The show’s narrator constantly warns of the consequences of their actions and is the voice of impending doom throughout. Written by Willy Russell, directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright (resident director...

Our Lady of Blundellsands – Everyman, Liverpool

18Sep

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Our Lady of Blundellsands – Everyman, Liverpool

Jonathan Harvey’s comic drama about a messed-up family resumes from whence it was paused in March 2020, albeit it with some cast changes, with a welcome return to Liverpool’s Everyman. Sylvie’s (Josie Lawrence) life is unravelling as she is forced to emerge from the safety of her Blundellsands cocoon where she has inhabited a fantasy world that never was, and where wiser, older sister Garnet (Joanne Howarth) is now becoming weary of the shopping lists and tired love. This time though, the family’s in town as Sylvie’s boys, ‘brothers’ Mickey-Joe (Mickey Jones) and Lee Lee (Nathan McMullen), return with their respective partners Frankie (Nana Amoo-Gottfried) and Alyssa (Gemma Brodrick) to celebrate Garnet’s birthday. But for once she’s got a story of her own to tell: who’s going to fan th...

Hope Mill Theatre announces online ‘An Evening With Jonathan Harvey’ plus new playwriting prize

28Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Hope Mill Theatre announces online ‘An Evening With Jonathan Harvey’ plus new playwriting prize

Hope Mill Theatre will host an online evening on Saturday 18th July, celebrating the many works of the well-loved writer Jonathan Harvey (Gimme,Gimme,Gimme/ Coronation Street). An Evening With Jonathan Harvey will include an interview with Harvey, hosted by Hope Mill Patron Denise Welch and will feature scenes from his past plays including Beautiful Thing, Hushabye Mountain and The Cherry Blossom Tree as well as songs from musicals that Harvey has written the book for including Dusty: The Dusty Springfield Musical and the Pet Shop Boys musical Musik. The cast performing includes; Katherine Kingsley, Frances Barber, Emma Clarke, Gemma Brodrick, Claire-Louise Cordwell, Joshua Asare, Rose Keegan and Danny Lee Wynter. The evening will also include guest hosts who have starred and...