Mark Goggins Archives - North West End UK

6Mar

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

Glorious! – Hope Mill Theatre

The fascinating story of Florence Foster Jenkins was brought back to mainstream attention by Hollywood in 2016. Hope Mill Theatre’s production of Glorious! covers much of the same ground but does so in a way that feels a lot more focused and a lot less condescending about the ‘worst singer in the world’. The ever-versatile Ancoats stage is, once again, utterly transformed. Clam shell footlights, a dusky velvet curtain and a vintage gramophone player set the scene. Charlie Hiscock’s Cosmé McMoon emerges to assure the audience he is not a pseudonym and that what we are about to see is all true. He also plants the core message: that maybe Jenkins was living in a cocoon, but that perhaps that’s a lesson for us all. The curtains open, McMoon and Jenkins meet, and we are away. Swift sto...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

4Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Dealing with the issue of mental health on stage in an acceptable and accessible way has proved a challenge for creatives in the theatre. The huge success of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ (in Manchester later this month) as well as ‘Be More Chill’ and ‘Next to Normal’ in the West End and on Broadway, have proved that sensitive handling of the topic and box office popularity are not mutually exclusive. One of the first shows to tread this path was the National Theatre adaptation of Mark Haddon’s 2003 bestselling mystery novel, and this production from Altrincham Garrick Playhouse demonstrates their continuing ability to stage challenging theatre of the highest standard whilst maintaining commercial success. Christopher (Charlie Gallagher) is 15 years, 3 months and two days old and the world is a st...

Merrily We Roll Along – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

18Jun

By NewsdeskNo Comments

North West

Merrily We Roll Along – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

With an uncanny sense of timing, Director Joseph Meighan and the creative team at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse open their production of Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ on the same day it was announced that the current Broadway production won 4 Tony awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. So, if a trip to New York is beyond the budget of south Manchester residents, this week they get the opportunity to see a superb rendition of this poignant commentary on the nature of friendship at their local theatre instead. On its initial run in 1981, ‘Merrily’ closed after just two weeks and was a commercial disaster for Sondheim and co-writer George Furth, critics at the time found the storyline confusing and the characters unsympathetic and audiences agreed. But, as with many Sondh...

Let The Right One In – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

6Feb

By Helen JonesNo Comments

North West

Let The Right One In – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Let The Right One In is an adaptation of a book by Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist of the same title. It has also been adapted twice into film, one in the Swedish Language and one American produced. It has also been adapted for the stage twice, once in Swedish and then English. This is the Jack Thorne English adaptation rather than a translation of the Swedish version. Unfortunately, the fact it is an adaptation of a complex storyline is all obvious within the first five minutes. The show suffers badly from far too many micro scenes. In a two-hour play there are probably less than ten scenes that even make it to five minutes long, many are sub one minute. Between each scene the stage has to go dark allowing for props to be brought on and off the ...

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

24Oct

By Alexandra SevernNo Comments

North West

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Only a few weeks ago, and coincidental to being asked to review this show, I had a nostalgic watch of the 1968 film on which this show is based. While some reviews will give a full synopsis, most of us know the plot from hours of watching the film as both children and adults - I’m sure many of us still have nightmares thanks to the Child Catcher (played maleficently by Mike Shaw in the Garrick’s version). We were whisked away on this surprisingly mild October evening to Ian Fleming’s magical world, where frequently we would forget that cars can’t fly - the titular car received a round of applause on its first entrance. With music by the Sherman Brothers, script by Jeremy Sams and first performed in 2002, the show has become a steadfast fixture on the amateur circuit and the Garrick’s ca...

The Little Mermaid – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

26Oct

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

The Little Mermaid – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Even if you’re not a Disney aficionado, everyone knows the story of The Little Mermaid: Girl meets boy, girl can’t be with boy, chaos ensues, true love prevails. It’s a true Disney classic. However, love story aside, I was very intrigued to see how a story that predominantly occurs underwater would be portrayed onstage, so when the chance arose to see The Little Mermaid at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, I naturally had to see it for myself. And am I glad I did! With a dream-team of talent spearheading the dressing rooms – from renowned stage director Joseph Meighan, musical director Mark Goggins, and lesser-known at the Garrick (but still utterly fantastic) choreographer Koda Holland-Smith – it’s no wonder this show was a delight from start to finish. Photo: Martin Ogden Whilst ...