Opera House Archives - Page 2 of 6

Burlesque the Musical – Opera House, Manchester

26Jun

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

Burlesque the Musical – Opera House, Manchester

Following the success of the 2010 smash hit film starring global superstars Christina Aguilera and Cher, I knew it would only be a matter of time before Burlesque was converted to a stage show – with the glitz, the glamour and the Broadway-esque showtunes, it’s a perfect fit for the big stage. There were certainly moments of pure brilliance that could have only been delivered in such a format as theatre, but I do have to say that some moments did leave a little to be desired, which was such a shame for a show of this calibre. Let’s start with the exceptional. Firstly, the female lead – down-on-her-luck Ali, played by Jess Folley – was an absolute casting masterclass. Not many aspiring singers can step into the lofty designer shoes of one Christina Aguilera, but vocally Folley held he...

An Officer and a Gentleman – Manchester c

2May

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

An Officer and a Gentleman – Manchester c

Based on the original screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart, An Officer and a Gentleman the musical is here at the Manchester Opera House as part of its UK tour. Directed by Leicester Curve Artistic director Nikolai Foster, we are treated to a well-rounded piece of theatre which has been well thought out to keep it fresh and smooth with an air of familiarity about it. The story follows Zack Mayo and his fellow Navy recruits at their training camp in Pensacola, Florida, and their journey through a 12-week programme to try and become Navy Jet pilots. Through rigorous training, we see recruits struggle and fail, leaving the training programme, eventually bringing the other recruits closer together, pushing each other along to reach their final goal. But not everything runs smoothly, and we see...

Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Opera House, Manchester

28Mar

By Emma WildNo Comments

North West

Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Opera House, Manchester

Well, what a night! This show will live long in the memory for all the right reasons! The ‘Cornley Drama Society’ (Mischief Theatre) have visited Cornley Polytechnic (The Opera House Manchester) to put on their production of Peter Pan (which is most definitely NOT a pantomime!). Cornley Drama Society is full of endearing characters, including over-ambitious wannabes, all of whom are hilarious, under-rehearsed, prop, stunt and line-bumbling amateur thespians. The programme (which is an absolute hoot!) informs that Members of the Cornley Youth Theatre have the honour of joining the ‘real near-professional actors and directors’ of the adult section of the Society, (whether they want to or not!) for this disastrous production of J.M. Barrie’s classic story about a mischievous boy from Never...

7Mar

By Rebecca CaseyNo Comments

North West

Legally Blonde – Opera House, Blackpool

A wonderful, vibrant, colourful evening of song and dance this evening at The Winter Gardens, Blackpool. Encore Productions brought us an array of local talent taking us on a journey of the classic story that we all know from the movie of the same name. The show follows the character Elle Woods on a journey from a Barbieesque sorority girl, to attending Harvard law school, in the hopes of winning back her ex-boyfriend. With choreography and musical direction from industry professionals the cast were in good hands, Natalie Pollard provided creative routines and ‘Whipped the dancers into shape’ Ed Rugman ‘used the talented singers to provide a well rounded, strong ensemble with nice clean harmonies. The cast were full of energy and some outstanding performances this evening that would ...

The Full Monty – Opera House, Manchester

15Feb

By Grace AnnabelNo Comments

North West

The Full Monty – Opera House, Manchester

On Tuesday evening I had the pleasure of watching the comedic triumph ‘The Full Monty’ at the Manchester Opera House. Our director (Michael Gyngell), the show’s designer (Jasmine Swan) and the producer (David Pugh) has immense shoes to fill, and certainly did not disappoint. Being incredibly familiar with the show, and having watched it previously in an amateur capacity, I was very much looking forward to this brand new adaptation, featuring some well-known faces. The musical is cleverly adapted from the late 90’s British film of the same name, six unemployed Northern steelworkers, all low on cash, decide to present a strip act, for one night only, their local conservative club after seeing their wives' enthusiasm for a touring company of Chippendales. Danny Hatchard played the prot...

Madagascar The Musical – Opera House, Manchester

9Feb

By Bo WarnerNo Comments

North West

Madagascar The Musical – Opera House, Manchester

‘Madagascar the Musical’, an all-singing-and-dancing adaptation of the hit 2005 film, is currently making its way around the UK & Ireland to the delight of children everywhere. 20 years after its release, it’s fantastic to see that this film is still being enjoyed by today’s generation enough that the draw of Madagascar can fill the Manchester Opera House. This is a colourful, high-energy and fast-paced production that doesn’t pause to catch breath. It was clear to me that the children in the audience were thoroughly enjoying the ride, and were engaged from start to finish, singing along and giggling as they did. Impressive set pieces by Tom Rogers were plentiful and rolled out often - I was impressed by how high budget and slick everything felt. I have to say, I didn’t care for ...

The Rocky Horror Show – Opera House, Manchester

24Jan

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

The Rocky Horror Show – Opera House, Manchester

Since the original show in 1973 the ‘Rocky Horror Show’ has gained generations of fans who have been seduced by its mix of horror-comedy and science-fiction script, with an excuse to dress up for the occasion. Over the half a century of the show, it has increased in its popularity with the not just the oldies but with a whole new generation of young followers. Despite the show being over 50 years old it has absolutely no signs of ageing as it continues to entice theatregoers through its doors with its bright, bold and extremely risqué script that bursts into life from the beginning through to the finale. The show is not for the faint hearted as you are guaranteed to be met with an auditorium of ladies or men in French maid outfits, an array of glittery top hats and dazzling tailcoats, s...

Jack And The Beanstalk – Opera House, Manchester

8Dec

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

Jack And The Beanstalk – Opera House, Manchester

Christmas is never complete without a token pantomime performance - and what better show to see to get you feeling Christmassy than Guy Unsworth’s dynamic and innovative reworking of Jack and the Beanstalk. Touted as “the second biggest show in Manchester”, this panto really did have it all - a star-studded cast, sensational sets, brilliant costumes, fabulous song and dance sequences, a script jam-packed full of witty repartee (and even a flying car, wholly reminiscent of theatre favourite Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). What really brought this show to life was its exuberant characters - headlined by comedian Jason Manford, he was of course the titular character of Jack Trot, who not only had the lion’s share of the jokes but had some great musical numbers too. That said, every panto (...

I Should Be So Lucky – Opera House, Manchester

15Nov

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

I Should Be So Lucky – Opera House, Manchester

I Should Be So Lucky, penned by Debbie Isitt, is a jukebox musical that takes its audience on a nostalgic journey through the hits of Stock Aitken Waterman. Starring Lucie-Mae Sumner as Ella and Billy Roberts as Nathan, the musical places its primary focus on the music rather than the plot, creating a vibrant but sometimes superficial experience. The story, centred around the rocky relationship between Ella and Nathan, unfolds with Nathan leaving Ella at the altar. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the musical's main draw is its soundtrack, not its narrative. Ella's rapid forgiveness of Nathan in Act 2 seems more a product of the musical's rush to showcase another hit song rather than a thoughtful character decision. The cast, including Kayla Carter as Bonnie, Jessica Daley a...

7Nov

By Rebecca CaseyNo Comments

North West

The Bodyguard – Opera House, Blackpool

What a fantastic night at Winter Gardens, Blackpool, at the opening performance of The Bodyguard Musical, Based on the 1992 Oscar nominated movie of the same name, starring the household names Kevin Costner and the late great Whitney Houston in the leading roles. The West End production was nominated for 4 Olivier awards and was followed by a sell-out 18-month UK and Ireland tour. The show has played to over 3.6 million people in 15 countries and 45 US cities. Producers, Michael Harrison and David Ian alongside director Thea Sharrock brought us a dazzling line up of talent and a show that sells itself with a score full of Houston’s greatest hits. The story tells of a vocal superstar Rachel Marron, who is dealing with an unknown stalker. Frank Farmer, former Secret Service agent is...