Johnny McKnight Archives - North West End UK

24Nov

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Gallus in Weegieland – Tron Theatre

What a way to kick off panto season! Gallus in Weegieland at The Tron theatre is glam, gorgeous, and very glaswegian. Expecting the typical tired panto schtick and gags, I was very gladly mistaken - this is a panto that cares. With an actually engaging storyline accompanied by original songs by Ross Brown (who's multi-tasking and multi-instrumentalism in playing the score was incredibly impressive), I was grinning from ear to ear. Based on Alice in Wonderland, we saw Alice (Jorgey Scott-Learmonth) embark on a quest to find love, inspiration, and bravery in Weegieland in order to pass her ballet exam back on earth. Of course, it wouldn’t be a panto without an evil queen and Queenie of Hearts, Louise McCarthy did not disappoint. If Elaine C. Smith was hig...

17Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

She’s Behind You – Traverse Theatre

She's Behind You, a Johnny McKnight script and a John Tiffany direction, is a seasonal yet contemplative dive into the world of pantomime. In a co-production between the Traverse Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland, the play grabs the art form's sense of enjoyment while nipping at its deeper cultural importance. From the moment McKnight—portraying his alter ego character, Dorothy Blawna-Gale—appeared on stage, the audience was mesmerized. The laughter was almost continuous, with spontaneous applause in rhythm to music and dance. Audience participation was a whopping 100%, with bystanders caught up in the infectious energy from start to finish. Visually, the production dazzled. Bright, sparkly, and totally immersive, the lighting and stage design contributed both to the c...

21Nov

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

101 Dalmatians – Edinburgh Playhouse

This musical is very much a children’s entertainment, so it’s therefore surprising that it runs the standard length of time, despite starting and finishing half an hour earlier than one normally expects. It would benefit considerably from being at least half an hour shorter, without losing any of the essential story telling or spectacle. The narrative is a simple one, the evil Cruella de Vil desires a wardrobe of outfits made of white with black spots fur, and to that end, sends her two incompetent nephews to steal all the Dalmatians in the area. With music and lyrics by Douglas Hodge, book by Johnny McKnight from an original novel by Dodie Smith, and directed by Bill Buckhurst, this musical has a lot in common with pantomime. With Cruella the villain we all love to bo...

Tron Theatre announces inspired, innovative and exciting Spring – Summer season

28Nov

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Tron Theatre announces inspired, innovative and exciting Spring – Summer season

Tron Theatre continues to deliver some of the most inspirational, innovative and exciting theatre being staged in Scotland at the moment. We are delighted to launch our Spring – Summer 2024 season, once again showcasing more thought-provoking new work, including two Scottish premieres presented by Tron Theatre Company, alongside a powerful visiting company programme that brings the best touring productions to our stages. Two of Scottish theatre’s most exciting directors will work with us on in-house productions this season whilst we recruit for a new Artistic Director following the departure of Andy Arnold in November 2023. Tron Associate Director Joanna Bowman will stage the first of our Scottish premieres - Caryl Churchill’s ‘revolutionary’ Escaped Alone (Thu 22nd February – Sat 9th M...

101 Dalmatians – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

23Jul

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

London

101 Dalmatians – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Loosely based on the 1956 classic tale by Dodie Smith, ‘101 Dalmatians’ see Dominic and Danielle literally bumping into each other and falling in love while out walking their dotty dogs Pongo and Perdi. Local influencer Cruella DeVil thinks the dogs would look great in her upcoming photoshoot, but during the shoot, the dogs severe dislike of Cruella causes one of them to bite her. She attacks the dogs with a stick, and her retaliation is caught on social media, going viral within minutes. Cruella quickly swears revenge on the dogs, and plots to dognap the spotted pooches and make herself a coat that no-one will ever forget. It’s a timeless story that audiences already knows, but does the Regent’s Park production have legs, or is it more of a dog’s dinner? Visually, the show ...