Jessica Dives Archives - North West End UK

The Ballad of Maria Marten – Wilton’s Music Hall

17Feb

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

The Ballad of Maria Marten – Wilton’s Music Hall

Set in the 1820’s, writer Beth Flintoff and Artistic Director Ivan Cutting were keen to tell this age-old story of the death of Maria Marten from the viewpoint of the victim. The story has been told in many ways previously, but tended to look at the murderer, William Corder, rather than taking an interest in Maria Marten’s life. Maria (Elizabeth Crarer), lived in a small rural village called Polstead where she had grown up in poverty losing her mother at an early age. This led to her looking after the house at age 10, until her father met and married Ann (Sarah Goddard) who was kindly and took over many of these tasks, so that Maria could finally have a childhood. She played with her friends who formed a club called the ‘hazard club’, in which they dared each oth...

24Sep

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

The Ballad of Maria Marten – The Lowry

Theatre is at its best when it can retell a story in a new dynamic, a new setting or with a new spin. All of the above are true of Beth Flintoff’s adaptation; The Ballad of Maria Marten which tells the true story of a harrowing true crime which took place in 1827. The Red Barn Murder which occurred in Suffolk saw Maria Marten shot and then buried for over a year before her body was discovered, but this play doesn’t focus on just her death but more a celebration of her life and it’s incredibly captivating as a result. Directed by Hal Chambers, this play doesn’t feel like a murder mystery nor does it feel like a dark crime drama, it’s inviting and makes a statement that Maria Marten’s murder is not her defining life moment; she had a life - she loved, she laughed, and it’s a clever rew...

Twice Nightly – Liverpool Theatre Festival

8Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Twice Nightly – Liverpool Theatre Festival

Liverpool Theatre Festival is about halfway through its run of nightly performances that boosts everything from music to drama, comedy and lots more. The same can be said for tonight’s performance ‘Twice Nightly’ which served up all of the above and more in one show! ‘Twice nightly’ is a 70-minute show which was not only written by and directed by Maria Lovelady and Michael Alan Bailey but it also stars these two talented performers as the double act Don & Madge. The show opens with Don & Madge singing a duet with the catchy words ‘what did we steal?’ This opening number leaves the audience wondering what they are in for, who are these pair? Is the show about mastermind criminals? is it all sung? and to add to the curiosity, Don’s moustache kept falling off- was this supposed to...

15Jul

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Twice Nightly – Bombed Out Church

Twice Nightly, written, directed by and starring Maria Lovelady and Michael Alan Bailey, is a fun comedy which explores the world of variety entertainment in 1931 and the impact of film on the theatre industry. Don (Bailey) and Madge (Lovelady) are down on their luck cabaret performers who are frustrated with their underappreciative employer and not being hailed as the superstars they deserve to be. Opening with a synchronised song and dance number, both Bailey and Lovelady demonstrate excellent musical theatre skills throughout the piece. Live music is provided by musical director, Jessica Dives, with fun accordion melodies giving the piece a feeling of the 1930s music hall. A mischievous song about being criminal masterminds is surprisingly followed by the arrival of a policeman (R...

The Comedy of Errors – Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

11Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

The Comedy of Errors – Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre and Storyhouse have worked magic to bring some live theatre to Chester in these dark and uncertain times. From conception to first night took just two weeks as this incredibly talented group of actors, under the direction of Storyhouse Artistic director Alex Clifton, mostly rehearsed online, only coming together a mere four days before opening and staging the whole show in two days. Staging a show during a time of social distancing is a tricky business, but this group somehow made it look and feel completely natural. Keeping a distance from each other and, unlike other years, keeping a distance from the audience rather than running between them. We were still fully engaged and completely involved. Danielle Bird, Nichole Bird, Lowri Izzard, Mari Izzard,...