Hope Mill Theatre Archives - North West End UK

17Oct

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Young Frankenstein – Hope Mill Theatre

Mel Brooks’ musical adaptation of the 1974 black and white horror comedy Young Frankenstein made its UK debut in Newcastle back in 2017, before taking the West End by storm. Now, in celebration of Hope Mill’s 10th anniversary, this spine-tingling spoof has been reanimated for the spooky season. When esteemed neurosurgeon Dr Frederick Frankenstein learns that he has inherited his infamous grandfather’s estate, a trip to Transylvania soon entices him into revisiting Victor’s outrageous experiments. Slick direction from Nick Winston ensures an excellent blend of sci-fi and silliness transfers from screen to stage; from flouting horror film tropes to dancing with double meanings, one scene effortlessly flows into the next as Dr Frederick and co descend into chaos. This remains both a sat...

Send in the Clowns: A Little Flop of Horrors – Hope Mill Theatre

17Sep

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Send in the Clowns: A Little Flop of Horrors – Hope Mill Theatre

Returning for their fourth outing at Hope Mill Theatre, the boisterous cabaret troupe behind Send in the Clowns: A Little Flop of Horrors once again delivered an evening of wickedly funny, musically sharp, and gloriously risqué entertainment. Having caught their last production (C*ck of Ages) back in May, I was curious to see if they could outdo themselves and they certainly rose to the challenge. The four-strong cast – Fatt Butcher, Blu Romantic, Dahlia Rivers, and Alanna Boden proved to be a powerhouse ensemble. Vocally, they were outstanding, effortlessly switching from the sultry tones of Cabaret to a comedic delivery of Dear Evan Hansen, and the playful belting of a song from Annie. Their mash-up medleys, including an inspired collision of Chicago, Oliver! and Les Misérables, were ...

Canal Street Lonely Hearts Club – Hope Mill Theatre

6Sep

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Canal Street Lonely Hearts Club – Hope Mill Theatre

With an inspired creative vision, the updating of a theatre piece can breathe new life into it, bringing entirely new meanings to the story and characters. The gender-swapped Company revival provided a female-centric look at the thirty-five-and-still-single life, questioning societal expectations, while &Juliet allows the queerness of Shakespeare to be a lot more overt. But when Rupert Street Lonely Hearts Club writer Jonathan Harvey‘s motivation for a modern, Northern version of his 90s London-based play doesn’t go beyond ‘f*** it, why not?’, its purpose is thrown into question before the curtain has even lifted. In a Canal Street flat, two brothers (Shaun, straight and Marti, gay) contemplate their love lives as the former’s girlfriend is being unresponsive while on holiday in...

1Aug

By Harry AltyNo Comments

North West

A Manchester Anthem – Hope Mill Theatre

For a city steeped in music history, it is no wonder those who grew up in and around Manchester see it as an accompaniment to life. That is evident in A Manchester Anthem, a story that sees our protagonist at a crossroads in life where he must decide either to evolve into someone new or continue being the person he is. Written as a birthday gift to our solo performer Tom Claxton, playwright Nick Dawkins creates a comedic and poignant piece on that nervous period in the build-up to leaving for university. What shines in the writing is the authenticity and relatability, especially when it comes to the many characters we meet within this one-act play. Nick Dawkins creates a character that quickly gets the audience on his side, bringing them along for a night into the buzzing heart of Manch...

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change – Hope Mill Theatre

16Jul

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change – Hope Mill Theatre

As the recent heat wave finally broke in a deluge of Mancunian rain, we dodged the puddles to attend the opening night of ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’, a 1996 musical revue by Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts now given a well deserved revival by 1974/Make Your Mark Productions. Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats is a perfect setting for this intimate, funny and sometimes touching exploration of relationships and modern love. ILYYPNC (as I will refer to it to save my word count), is structured as a series of (mostly) musical vignettes, using a cast of just four actors to play the roles of sixty-eight separate characters and exploring the subject of relationships throughout the course of life, from first dates through marriage, children and eventual loss. The writers employ a dizzying...

20Jun

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Hope Mill Theatre

Sometimes you see a piece of theatre and it just blows you away. This production was inventive, audacious and stunningly theatrical. Theatrical seems an odd thing to write in a theatre review. Surely all theatre is theatrical. Yet, the fashion these days is to shun theatricality, to underplay, to minimise. Thankfully, the directors of this play were not afraid to create a spectacle. Fittingly, for a play where bewitchment is central to the plot, they created magic in a very small space. From the start, there was dynamism, vivacity, verve and brio which grabbed the attention. And it did not let up. There was a briskness to the direction which gave the play its vim and vigour. It was so compelling that you could not take your eyes off the action. It was co-directed by Amy Gavin and Han...

11Jun

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Scouts! The Musical – Hope Mill Theatre

Scouts! The Musical returns to the beautiful Hope Mill Theatre in the heart of Ancoats, after its huge successful tour in 2023 its back even bigger and better! Scouts! The Musical is the creation of Sam Cochrane and David Fallon of Gigglemug Theatre in partnership with The Scouts. Sam Cochrane wrote the book and lyrics, directed the show, and provides the musical direction. David Fallon provided the music and lyrics, Rob Gathercole serves as the musical director all creating a magnificent family musical for all ages. Gigglemug was established in 2018 by a group of Warwick university students, and as a company their aim is to create entertainment which will leave audiences grinning for the rest of the day! Their goal has certainly been achieved with this wonderful creation of Scouts! ...

5Jun

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

COCK – Hope Mill Theatre

When you strip away the peripheral elements of existence what are you left with? Remove the career that will end, the possessions that will gather dust and the places that will fade in the memory. What remains? Love, human relationships and a sense of self perhaps. Mike Bartlett’s COCK is the theatrical equivalent of this exercise. Strip it all away and lay bare the stark reality of life. Distraction-free analysis of identity, of sexuality, of power, of interaction. It all sounds so simple. Of course, it isn't. It requires outstanding writing, light-touch - yet precise - direction and pitch-perfect performances. Check, check and check for HER and Up ‘Ere Productions. After a highly successful northern premiere last year at 53Two, the show is back in Manchester ...

1May

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Vignettes – Hope Mill Theatre

HER Productions and Alex Keelan presented six short plays under the umbrella of ‘Six letters to the NHS’. The first presentation was titled ‘Day One’ by Clara Darcy and Directed by Martha Simon, starring Erin Riley and Sarah White featuring voice overs by Leah Marks, Joel Parry and Charlotte Faragher. The play depicts the journey of an ambulance call centre worker’s first day on the job. The play was funny and witty but also displayed the seriousness and high pressure of this difficult role. Fresh eyed and eager to help, the new employee soon realises with guidance and advice of her established supervisor that the job isn’t easy to navigate with a high burnout rate of two years. Two thirds of their calls are falls from the elderly and a high level of mental health crises with little res...

1974 Productions returns to Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre

26Apr

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

1974 Productions returns to Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre

"1974 Productions" returns to Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre this July presenting their first musical collaboration, with "Make Your Mark Productions" presenting I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. With Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro and Music by Jimmy Roberts. This celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind the eternal conundrum known as "the Relationship". Act 1 explores the journey from dating and waiting to love and marriage, while act two reveals the agonies and triumphs of in laws and newborns, trips in the family car and pick-up techniques of the geriatric set. This hilarious musical pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face and to those who have dared to ask, "what are you doing Saturday night?" Pla...