Ian Bennett Archives - North West End UK

16May

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

West Side Story – Eccleston Theatre

Pendleton School of Theatre continues with its season of shows with their latest production of West Side Story. Pendleton’s Musical Theatre students have a reputation for excellence and considering their age and experiences in musical theatre they never disappoint, by consistently delivering outstanding productions. Tonight’s West Side Story has raised the bar even higher yet again with a sterling cast of excellent performers! I was lucky enough to have watched ‘Chorus Line’ last year and was pleased to see some familiar faces back on the stage. Ian Bennett Director of the 2023 production returned to his role to deliver this magnificent display of West Side Story. West Side Story is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by the late Stephen S...

Ghost the Musical – George Lawton Hall

Ghost first premiered just down the road in Manchester back in 2011 and is based on the hit 1990 film written by Bruce Joel Rubin and starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore alongside Whoopi Goldberg. The movies transition began its journey to the stage in 2008 as detailed by Bruce Joel Rubin in a revealing 2021 interview with North West End UK which you can see HERE. Following its sold-out run in Manchester a transfer to the West End followed and subsequently Broadway. Australia and Asia tours followed and subsequently a UK tour followed. Now produced by Bill Kenwright LTD, the show starts a new UK tour later this year. The original production was lauded for its technical innovations, showcasing mind-blowing illusions and changing the face of musical theatre forever. The latest versi...

Christmas Cabaret – Pendleton School of Theatre

Director Ian Bennett has created a splendid Christmas Cabaret, specifically aimed at the theme of ‘family’. Christmas is a joyous time but can also be a struggle for many, so Bennett didn’t want the traditional Christmas tunes as he wanted the Cabaret to reflect different walks of life but specifically aimed around ‘family’ and the many guises that it takes. Each of the musicals featured tonight show family at the centre - with the dysfunctional family in ‘Dear Evan Hansen’, the adopted family in ‘Les Misérables’, the chosen family in ‘Rent’ and the magical one in ‘Frozen’! I have been privileged to witness many cohorts perform over the years at Pendleton Sixth Form College, with many of their pupils going onto exceptionally successful careers in theatre. The standard of this college’s ...