Liverpool Empire Archives - Page 8 of 8

9Jan

By Coral MourantNo Comments

North West

Les Misérables – Liverpool Empire

Starting the new year with a storm, Les Mis opens its tour to thunderous applause. The theatre phenomenon is back with its new production and a cast as spectacular as its score. Opening in London in 1985, this tale set in the French Revolution, was not received well by critics. However, through word of mouth, the musical gained a loyal fanbase and raised the show to its current status as a household name and the longest running West End show. Fans will know that the original staging has been updated, with some devotees being of the opinion that “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”. After seeing the new production (directed by James Powell and Laurence Connor), I can honestly say that it feels fresh, revived and still as epic as ever. And controversially, I don’t miss the revolve! This p...

22Dec

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

Dreamgirls – Liverpool Empire

In its simplest form Dreamgirls is a story about dreams. It asks the question of how far people will go to get them, will they step on the dreams of others to get them. Add to this the backdrop of how people have historically stolen other people dreams in the music industry, and you have a story with depth, soul and glamour. One thing is for absolutely sure, and that is that Dreamgirls has all the ingredients to be an incredible piece of theatre; show-stopping songs, an important historical backdrop, fascinating characters, dance numbers, and Effie White. The only question you have to ask yourself is whether this production would succeed at getting the recipe right. The answer is a resounding yes. This production of Dreamgirls is without a doubt one of the best shows to come to Liver...

Donizetti’s Don Pasquale – Liverpool Empire

4Dec

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Donizetti’s Don Pasquale – Liverpool Empire

To finish their touring run for 2021, Glyndebourne have saved the best for last with Donizetti’s great comedy serving as a masterclass in pretty much everything with Mariame Clément’s eye-catching production brought back to life under revival director Paul Higgins. Elderly bachelor Don Pasquale (Ricardo Seguel) is fussed over by his servant (Anna-Marie Sullivan) as he awaits his friend, Dr Malatesta (Konstantin Suchkov), who has arranged a marriage for him to the beautiful and innocent Sofronia, who just happens to be Malatesta’s sister, and even has the Notary (Tom Mole) lined up to seal the deal. Yet, Don Pasquale reminds his nephew, Ernesto (Konu Kim), this is not how it’s meant to be, giving him one last chance to wed a wealthy young lady on pain of disinheritance if he declines....

3Dec

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Handel’s Messiah – Liverpool Empire

As the calendar ticks over into December and Christmas looms properly into view, there are certain things that can be guaranteed – that there will be arguments over whether Die Hard is a Christmas film. That you’ll buy yourself a discount advent calendar because you’re never too old. And that somewhere, choirs are dusting off their music for Handel’s Messiah. Tonight, it’s the mighty Glyndebourne opera company who have taken on the mantle, sandwiching it between performances of The Rake’s Progress and Don Pasquale as part of a three-night residency at the Liverpool Empire during their wider UK tour. In contrast to these two shows, their Messiah is set to be a more austere affair, with a simple tier of chairs for the chorus and additional seating for tonight’s four soloists. And...

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Liverpool Empire

24Nov

By Codie WrightNo Comments

North West

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Liverpool Empire

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and at this particular performance they were also taking selfies with the real-life Jamie who happened to be sat next to us at the Empire. That said, we can’t guarantee this will be your experience (in fact, chances are it won’t be…), so what did we think of the actual show? Well, despite the show being everywhere right now thanks to the movie adaptation, I had deliberately avoided as much about it as possible, so I could see the musical without any preconceptions and I’m so glad I did. What a wonderful, heartfelt, motivational a piece of theatre. Broadway musicals have all the glitz and glamour but there is something about the witty writing of a British musical that just feels like a warm hug in a mug of Yorkshire tea. But I’m getting ahead of myself...

17Nov

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Grease the Musical – Liverpool Empire

Fantastically feel good and naughtily nostalgic, Grease the Musical arrived in Liverpool this week with all the right moves and an abundance of exuberant energy. You cannot help but leave this show with a smile. Starring Peter Andre, and debuting several newcomers, it offers a slightly different flavour to what has been done before. Expect to have a good time. This production took a couple of scenes to find their flow but once they were in it there was no stopping them. Directed by Curve’s Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, Grease demands strong dancing from the cast in order to carry out creative sequences and transports the audience back to Rydell High School with ease. Led by Dan Partridge (Danny Zuko) and Ellie Kingdon (Sandy) the dialogue is fast paced with ...

3Nov

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

9 to 5: The Musical – Liverpool Empire

In 2009, nearly 30 years after the film's release, 9 to 5 made its debut as a Broadway Musical with new songs written by Dolly Parton. It then made its way over to the West-End where it premiered in February 2019. Since its UK premiere, 9 to 5 The Musical, has been seen by over half a million people at over 450 performances. This is its second national UK tour. I can remember watching the film 9 to 5 in the early 1980’s starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton and being blown away by it; straight from the start the music was gripping and of course the theme of feminism, equality and women’s rights was spot on. It was Dolly Parton’s acting debut, and she was fabulous as secretary to the story’s antagonist, exploitative boss. In a nutshell, the story is about three...

30Sep

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

Beauty and the Beast – Liverpool Empire

Beauty and the Beast is a Disney classic, a staple of their dominance in the 1990’s when it comes to animated musicals. Coupled with one of the most successful composers of the modern musical, Alan Menken, and Beauty and the Beast has a sure-fire street to success. The play is the story of Belle (Courtney Stapleton), a young girl longing to escape from her dreary everyday life and see the big wide world (you can’t fault Disney for their recycling). Along the way she is captured by a hideous Beast (Emmanuel Kojo), whose only prospect of a return to normality is to love and be loved in return, but first he must learn to leave his selfish self behind. It must be said that in this production the Beast was not all that Beastly, as he still cut a lean, attractive figure throughout. The mar...

16Sep

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Rock of Ages – Liverpool Empire

Theatre! Theatre! Theatre! So good they said it thrice! How absolutely wonderful to be back in the theatre watching live performances once again! This was my first visit to the theatre in 18 months (as it probably was for a lot of people here at the grand Liverpool Empire this evening) and I was to see a show that, although I have seen before, I was gasping for breath to see. I needed a laugh, some upliftment and an escape from the fear and dreariness of the last year or so and I was hoping that ‘Rock of Ages’ could do this. So, on entering the theatre, I wasn’t that surprised that the auditorium was half empty, people are still cautious, I appreciate that – although I must add that there are safety measures in place at the Empire (evidence of negative lateral flow test or proof o...