James Merrington Archives - North West End UK

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

24Jun

By Harry AltyNo Comments

North West

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Taking on the life story and songbook of two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Carole King is no easy task - but this Altrincham Garrick Playhouse production, fronted by the incomparable Madeleine Healey, is a sure-fire hit. With high-production value, a top-tier company and imaginative staging, this feel-good jukebox musical is truly Some Kind of Wonderful. Director Joseph Meighan seamlessly moves through the nearly thirty musical numbers with simplicity and pace, whilst still managing to craft the emotional story beats between the numbers. Stage management ensures the scenes transition efficiently, as set pieces and decoration create the various environments for this biographical story. The live camera work during One Fine Day tapped into the Jamie Lloyd’s Andrew Lloyd Webber r...

Of Mice and Men – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

9May

By Harry AltyNo Comments

North West

Of Mice and Men – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

A classic literary tale, often studied by many British students as part of the GCSE syllabus, Of Mice and Men tells the story of George and Lennie as they traverse California in search of work during the Great Depression. Based on John Steinbeck’s novel, originally released in 1937, this production spotlights a typical ranch filled with migrant farmworkers who simply needed to survive the economic landscape. Despite the historic setting, the play’s themes of hope, misunderstanding and brotherhood still resonate with a modern audience, making the piece as poignant now as it was when first performed nearly 90 years ago. Upon entering the theatre, audiences are immediately transported to the Salinas Valley, with a quote from Robert Burns acting as a precursor for the story due to follow. F...

The Worst Witch – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

5Apr

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

The Worst Witch – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Before JK Rowling launched Harry Potter on the world there was Jill Murphy’s The Worst Witch. A series of books which delighted young readers who fell in love with the goings on in Miss Cackles Academy for young witches. Initially adapted from the books for television and then for theatre this musical production offers everything a young audience might enjoy with its pantomime style and magical narrative. The drama presents as a play within a play. A group of trainee witches perform their story as a school production, and it is to their credit that this young cast grab the material with energy and spirit. Characters that have been well written are very well performed and the rapport amongst the cast shone through. Megan Sorrel as Mildred Hubble, the hapless new girl who doesn’t fit in, ...

Treasure Island – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

4Apr

By Helen JonesNo Comments

North West

Treasure Island – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

As an Easter Holiday child friendly show, the Garrick has produced a version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island. This version adapted by the well-respected Bryony Lavery was first produced in 2014. The basic plot remains the same, but Lavery has taken liberties with both characters and sections of the story. Jim Hawkins is now female, Jim has a grandmother not parents, characters are missing, new characters are inserted, and the fate of several characters is altered. The problem with doing this is that while the play bears some resemblance to the original it should be referred to as the Alternative Treasure Island. Jim and her grandmother run the Admiral Benbow Inn in Black Cove. One night a man arrives with his sea chest and takes a ...

20Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Chatroom – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

What would you imagine to be on the agenda for teenagers chatting online? Rating current romantic crushes? How mean mum and dad are for not letting them out past 10? Whether the fat German kid would be more likely to win Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory over Charlie Bucket might not feature on your list, but it is the first vignette of conversation we’re presented with as we join our six teen stars of Enda Walsh’s one-act play Chatroom. Described as a chilling, blackly comic tale, Chatroom looks at themes of online manipulation, cyberbullying and teenage depression, as relatively innocent conversations dissecting children’s literature and pop music are punctured by the arrival of Jim, a young man struggling with suicidal thoughts. This show marks the first production by the Garric...