Hull New Theatre Archives - North West End UK

9Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Mamma Mia! – Hull New Theatre

Even before the curtain rose on the smash-hit musical Mamma Mia! at the Hull New Theatre on Wednesday night, we in the packed venue were already singing along to a medley of Abba songs played by talented musicians in the orchestra pit. Mamma Mia! takes its name from the Swedish superstars’ song which appeared on the group’s third album in 1975. Written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, the musical is based around the music and lyrics of Abba’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and it’s their recognisable, singalong-to tunes that showered us in feel-good vibes from the off. Set on a Greek island paradise, the opening scene has bride-to-be, 20-yeer-old Sophie Sheridan (Lydia Hunt), posting wedding invitations to three men, strangers, whose names she has discovered in her mum...

2Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Blood Brothers – Hull New Theatre

Only a genius could create what is essentially a sad story of heartache, deceit, poverty, violence, snobbery, desertion and the most awful tragedy, but write it in such a way that it’s uproariously funny throughout. Blood Brothers, written by Willy Russell, is at the Hull New Theatre this week and on Tuesday evening the venue was chock-a-block with theatregoers. This multi-award winning production ran for more than 10,000 performances in London’s West End; no mean feat. And it’s no surprise to me, having seen a version of the show three times, that it’s known affectionately as the “standing ovation musical” - that description speaks for itself. All the action takes place in both the well-off and poorer areas of the city of Liverpool, in the late 1950s, and the stage setting clever...

The Marriage of Figaro – Hull New Theatre

30Mar

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Marriage of Figaro – Hull New Theatre

As is the norm when the opera or ballet come to town, Hull’s theatregoers set out in force to support the event. And Thursday evening was no exception when Opera North’s production of The Marriage of Figaro, graced the Hull New Theatre stage. Mozart’s well-known opera, premiering in Vienna in 1786 and conducted by the great composer himself, has been cleverly modernised by Opera North - meaning all the action takes place in a “modern-day crumbling pile of an English country estate”. This update led to many amusing scenes one wouldn’t associate with 18th-century life - namely mobile phones throughout, while the visiting, country house public, led by a tour guide, revealed at least one selfie stick. And the most notable change came with the costumes - everyone wore modern clothin...

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Hull New Theatre

11Mar

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Hull New Theatre

I have a bone to pick with the cast of Hessle Theatre Company. Please have more consideration for the afflicted when you perform Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as you did at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening. I was the afflicted in question. You see, I had a huge cold sore on the corner of my mouth, meaning every time you made me laugh - which was often - the pesky sore cracked painfully. Luckily for you, the pain was worth it, so you’re all forgiven. This local company continuously dishes out productions that wouldn’t look out of place on a West End stage and the venue was very well-attended on Tuesday. “Joseph” as it’s popularly known, was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics), in 1967 and is still a favourite with theatregoers. ...

Friends! The Musical Parody – Hull New Theatre

4Mar

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Friends! The Musical Parody – Hull New Theatre

Friends graced our TV screens from 1994 to 2004, so you would surmise that many of the iconic moments from that period, acted out in Friends! The Musical Parody, which has been running since 2022, would be long forgotten. The show arrived at the Hull New Theatre on Monday as part of a UK and Ireland tour, and, judging by the audience’s reactions during the performance, there were many whose memories didn’t need to be jogged re the shenanigans of Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Monica - the friends in question. There is a long gap between the end of the original TV series to the 2021 Reunion TV Special, an unscripted celebration of the iconic show. But Friends is now streamed on TV, maybe spawning a new crop of fans. Photo: Pamela Raith Monday’s show revealed a stage se...

27Feb

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Swan Lake – Hull New Theatre

Without fail in Hull, a former city of culture, theatregoers flock to the theatre when the ballet is in town. And Thursday was no exception as Hull New Theatre was packed in anticipation of watching the Varna International Ballet company perform the classic, Swan Lake. Founded in Bulgaria in 1947, the company has been playing to full theatres at home and abroad and brings its talents to Hull as part of a UK tour visiting 23 venues around the country. As well as Swan Lake, the ballet dancers will perform Cinderella during their visit to Hull. Classed as the greatest romantic ballet of all time, Swan Lake benefits from the musical compositions of none other than Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky. And throughout Thursday evening’s production we were treated to his music played by the most t...

Buddy! The Buddy Holly Story – Hull New Theatre

16Feb

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Buddy! The Buddy Holly Story – Hull New Theatre

So engrossed was I while watching Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story at the Hull New Theatre on Thursday evening, that for a fleeting moment I really felt I was watching the man himself. Ridiculous, of course, as the real Buddy died in a plane crash on February 3rd, 1959. But so impressive was AJ Jenks as the spectacle-wearing rock ’n’ roller, it was difficult not to be transported back to a time when, not only was the music groundbreaking and fantastic, but, hallelujah, every word was clearly audible, meaning the songs were ripe to sing along to. And, over 60 years later, that’s exactly what we in the audience did from the very first note Buddy and his backing group, The Crickets, struck up. Buddy (Jenks) on his guitar and The Crickets - bassist Joe B Mauldin (Melker Nilsson), ...

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical – Hull New Theatre

29Jan

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical – Hull New Theatre

I watched the film, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, on TV over Christmas, so was intrigued as to how a musical version of the story would transfer to the stage. I found out on Wednesday evening when The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical came to the Hull New Theatre. It was great to see theatregoers of all ages crowded into the foyer, pre-show, with the queue to buy merchandise growing by the minute. And at curtain up we were met with an industrial looking set design that mirrored rusty water pipes and concrete tunnels under the city of Los Angeles. A huge, curved, lit-up structure either side of the stage remained for the duration, but the video backdrop changed constantly, and most effectively, with staircases, seating and box-like creations being wheeled on and o...

22Jan

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Miss Saigon – Hull New Theatre

The musical, Miss Saigon, has been watched by over 33 million worldwide. You can add probably a few more thousand on to that figure, if Wednesday night's attendance of the show at Hull's New Theatre is anything to go by. The place was packed. Miss Saigon is in the city as part of a major UK and Ireland tour and relates to events during the last days of the Vietnam War, in 1975, exactly 50 years ago. As soon as the opening stage screen, depicting a huge sacred bird, rose, it was non-stop drama all the way. Many theatre productions now have glorious video backdrops which, brilliantly, showcase much of the story that there would be no time to explain in words. And this production was no different with opening images of bombing, fighter aircraft et al showing us the horrors of w...

15Dec

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Beauty and the Beast – Hull New Theatre

Panto season is upon us once more and as young and old packed into Hull New Theatre on Sunday evening to watch Beauty and the Beast, the excitable atmosphere among theatregoers was palpable. As a reviewer, I have been fortunate to watch many such productions at the New Theatre. But would this year’s offering live up to its billing as “The Spellbinding Pantomime”? Just after 5pm, the curtain rose to reveal a huge throne, upon which sat the handsome Prince Sebastian (Scott Royle) in all his purple silk finery. Rudely shooing away an old hag begging for help, he soon becomes more friendly when she reveals her youthful, beautiful self. However, his fate is sealed as the woman turns out to be an Enchantress (Sharon Sexton) who casts a spell on him, turning him into an ugly beast. Th...