Liverpool Playhouse Archives - Page 2 of 7

The Girl on the Train – Liverpool Playhouse

15May

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

The Girl on the Train – Liverpool Playhouse

What would you do, if you saw something that you knew wasn’t right, but were on a train when you saw it? The Girl on the Train has been adapted from the bestselling book by Paula Hawkins, that was turned into a film starring Emily Blunt. It tells the story of Rachel Watson who watches people on her commute into work, then one day a detective turns up at her door to tell her that a lady she has been watching on the train has disappeared. We follow as Rachel becomes involved in the investigation and figures out things that she has blocked from her memory. Louisa Lytton (best known as Ruby in Eastenders) has taken over the role as Rachel Watson for five weeks and she seems fitted into the cast and the role seamlessly. She really showcases her acting talent in the role and take the audie...

3Apr

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Animal Farm – Liverpool Playhouse

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. As to be expected from a play, based on a novel by George Orwell, Animal Farm is a dystopian social commentary, that allegedly refers to the Russian revolution of 1917. It tells the story of Old Major, Napoleon, Snowball and the other animals of Manor Farm wanting to overthrow the human owner – Mr Jones and become free and self-sufficient. The production is one that would definitely be approved by Orwell himself, with a clever set designed by Ciarán Bagnall, which you don’t think would be much, as it is all set on the farm. But the moving parts that were added in – to create the windmill and show the commandments were clearly so well thought about and came across so well throughout the performance. It is truly...

28Mar

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Tambo & Bones – Liverpool Playhouse

Seeing other reviews of this production, not to mention the various accolades it has received, my hopes were high as I took my seat in the auditorium. The vibe had a chilled excitement to it, aided by the pre-amble music, but as the clock-ticked on, the audience soon became restless at the late start. However, when the performance did get underway, those feelings were quickly dashed thanks to the gutsy, bold and connected acting onstage. Clifford Samuel and Daniel Ward delivered a Tambo and Bones that were in-sync, funny, unapologetic and warm to watch. The minstrel show for the first half of Act One was a high-class opening, the inclusion of the puppet a particular personal highlight. But the enthusiasm seemed to dip as the show progressed. Into the second half of Act 1, yet another...

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...