Liverpool Playhouse Archives - North West End UK

19Mar

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Pig Heart Boy – Liverpool Playhouse

Better to have a pig heart that works, that a human one that doesn’t, right? Pig Heart Boy, based on the popular 1997 novel by Malorie Blackman of the same name and has been adapted for the stage by Winsome Pinnock. It is true to the book and has even been endorsed by Blackman herself. It tells the story of Cameron, a 13-year old boy who has had heart problems since he was ill as a child. Everyone treats him as though he’s a China cup, fragile and to be handled with care. When his father contacts Professor Bryce, things start to look up, after a failed attempt at a heart transplant. Or does it? Bryce has been working on a way to get pig hearts transplanted into humans, to help save more people. The story ends up in the media and what follows is how a young boys life changes – for the be...

12Mar

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

NEWS, North West

Ghost Stories – Liverpool Playhouse

Prepare for an unparalleled theatrical experience. Running until March 15th Ghost Stories is an extraordinary production brimming with moments of shock, suspense, and psychological tension that will deeply unsettle even the most fearless theatre goers. This chilling performance is strictly unsuitable for individuals under 15 years of age. Those sensitive to disturbing or anxiety-inducing experiences should carefully heed this warning before securing their tickets. Brace yourself; spine-tingling thrills await! After captivating audiences worldwide with record-breaking, sold-out performances and an acclaimed film adaptation, Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s Ghost Stories stands as a landmark achievement in horror theatre. Lauded by the Sunday Times as “genuinely scary fun,” this masterfully ...

The Merchant of Venice 1936 – Liverpool Playhouse

5Feb

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

The Merchant of Venice 1936 – Liverpool Playhouse

The authenticity in this production is what struck me at rst, with the Jewish culture and language centre-stage for the preamble. And it didn’t matter that we may not understand what they were saying or doing, it was unapologetic. A sentiment carried through the whole production, which was a novel idea, as it gave the relic script a new tenacity and sense of place in the present which is far removed from when Shakespeare was writing. That authenticity is also what made me realise that this piece really was an example of how these celebrated plays can be relevant to today and still teach us something about the human condition. The cast, albeit small, was able to take on the responsibility of a much larger selection of characters. Their ability to multirole was not only impressive but ...

The Rocky Horror Show – Liverpool Playhouse

6Dec

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

The Rocky Horror Show – Liverpool Playhouse

The Cult classic is back in Liverpool this Christmas! Having previously filled the Liverpool Empire on multiple occasions, it was strange to head into a smaller venue to see this production. However, it made the evening and the atmosphere a lot more intimate and not as many people joined in with the shout-outs, but they could mostly still be heard around the theatre. The Rocky Horror Show, which was later turned into a film (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) tells the story of a young couple – Brad and Janet, who’s car breaks down on their way home from a friends’ wedding, shortly after getting engaged themselves. Helped sometimes by the audience, Brad remembers that they passed a castle a couple of miles down the road and head off towards it, as a storm starts. From there the night takes ...

20Nov

By Anna Ní DhúillNo Comments

North West

1984 – Liverpool Playhouse

In a new adaptation of Orwell’s seminal classic, Theatre Royal Bath productions bring their take on 1984 to Liverpool’s Playhouse. Adapted for stage by Ryan Craig and directed by Lindsay Posner, the meticulous design of the piece means as soon as you enter the auditorium, you step into the authoritative, totalitarian world in which our characters cannot escape. Setting up the Playhouse as a panopticon is an exciting start to a story that has thrilled audiences since first being published in 1949. Sadly, once the houselights dim, the thrill that Orwell constructed is slowly deflated by a meandering, technology-reliant production. It is a truly difficult task to adapt a text that is held up as a modern classic, that the majority of the population has read before they reach their mid-t...

27Oct

By Eleanor HallNo Comments

North West

After the Act – Liverpool Playhouse

Breach Theatre have tapped into the extreme niche that is the verbatim musical (the only other that comes to mind is Alecky Blythe’s ‘London Road’). Directed by Billy Barrett, ‘After the Act’ illuminates the shockingly recent aftermath of Section 28, which prohibited the so-called ‘promotion of homosexuality’ in schools. Photo: Alex Brenner The narrative is replete with first-hand, personal experiences of the Section 28’s harrowing impact, and the wider political conversation, weaving artfully between the two. Given that the show is replete with historical information such as contemporary House of Lords debates and the prevalence of Haringey parents’ protests in the Act’s construction, I came out of the theatre feeling much more informed. Ultimately, the personal accounts are the mos...

16Oct

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

Play On! – Liverpool Playhouse

This musical show transfers Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to the 1940’s New York jazz scene and is set in the infamous Cotton Club in 1940’s Harlem. Conceived by Sheldon Epps from a book by Cheryl L. West, the production started out on Broadway where it received three Tony nominations; it has been brought to the UK by the Talawa Theatre Company. Talawa is UK’s Black theatre company, promoting Black Joy 2024, a season of theatre and workshops celebrating Black stories and artists. Directed by Talawa’s Artistic Director, Michael Buffong, the show incorporates music by legendary jazz singer, Duke Ellington and showcases classic and contemporary choreography from Kenrick H2O Sandy. It is an all-singing, all-dancing production with a five-piece live band, comprising musicians, Shane Fo...

28Sep

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Wonder Boy – Liverpool Playhouse

Wonder Boy is a beautifully written piece of theatre which gives the audience a real insight into the struggles of living with a stammer. Following the character of Sonny and following his journey from frustration to freedom. Written by Ross Willis and directed by Sally Cookson with thought, precision and an excellent and imaginative portrayal of the frustration and expression of speaking with a stammer. A beautifully put together play which captivates you from the beginning, you are immediately drawn and sympathetic to the main character of Sonny, who was performed by Hilson Agbangbe who produced a strong and diverse performance and helped you to warm easily to the character and depicted Sonny's difficulties within the real world. Sonny's character cannot be mentioned without the excel...

Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong is coming to the Playhouse

13Sep

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong is coming to the Playhouse

Sebastian Faulks’s epic story of love and loss, Birdsong, returns to the stage in a brand-new production for 2024 at the Liverpool Playhouse from Tuesday 8th to Saturday 12th October. Featuring award-winning actor Max Bowden (EastEnders), this production marks the 30th anniversary of the international best-selling novel. The critically acclaimed show, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and directed by Original Theatre’s Artistic Director, Alastair Whatley, tells the story of one man’s journey through an all-consuming love affair and into the horror of the First World War.   Max Bowden (EastEnders) who plays Jack Firebrace said: “I’m so excited to be collaborating with Original Theatre again on a project close to my heart. Birdsong highlights the tragedy of war, yet the...

Drop The Dead Donkey – Liverpool Playhouse

15May

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Drop The Dead Donkey – Liverpool Playhouse

For an up-to-date satirical comedy on stage, look no further than Drop The Dead Donkey – The Reawakening! 34 years after first airing on Channel 4, the cast of Drop The Dead Donkey reunite for the first time, and for their first time on stage. From the GlobeLink newsroom, the team have been hired to be part of the brand-new Truth News channel. The original cast members Susannah Doyle, Robert Duncan, Ingrid Lacey, Neil Pearson, Jeff Rawle, Stephen Tompkinson and Victoria Wicks reprised their roles from the TV show, with a touching tribute to the two late members of the cast, David Swift and Haydn Gwynne and the iconic and award-winning TV show is reimagined in this topical commentary on the world of 24 hours news. With original writers Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin (who also wrote Outnumb...