Shakespeare North Playhouse Archives

Woman | Women – Shakespeare North Playhouse

1Dec

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Woman | Women – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Produced, directed, performed, and choreographed by Dr Rowena Gander, Woman I Women is a physical and comedic show that takes an ironic deep dive into the typically fast-paced nature of lesbian relationships, coming out of the other side with a more philosophical whole that encourages its audience to contemplate the meaning of relationships and oneself within and without one. Whilst its focus is on lesbian relationships, this powerful, empowering, and informative work resonates on a number of levels. Less is more and Gander’s approach to physical theatre demonstrates how you can do a lot with a little as a basic rectangular cuboid frame serves as a metaphoric clothes horse that brings two into one as well as the boxing ring for some playful fighting through to the rougher breaking u...

Alice in Wonderland – Shakespeare North Playhouse

27Nov

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Alice in Wonderland – Shakespeare North Playhouse

A fabulous theatre, a story of marvel and magic, at a pantomime time of year and excitement in bucket loads, this being the ingredients to the opening night for the journey into fantasy, written with brilliance by Nick Land and directed with creativity by Nathan Powell that greeted the packed theatre this evening. To greet the full house, there were children dancing in the foyer and magical colour-changing potions to add to orange juice with the famous quote from the book itself ‘drink me’ (now pour me), that had us all entwined in the world of Lewis Carroll from the onset. As the play started, the playing cards greeted the crowd, waving excitedly at children dressed as Alice in pale blue dresses or as Mad Hatters who all waved back with beaming smiles. The 4 cards on stage realis...

Divorced, Beheaded, Died: An Audience With King Henry VIII – Shakespeare North Playhouse

9Oct

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Divorced, Beheaded, Died: An Audience With King Henry VIII – Shakespeare North Playhouse

An intimate evening with the most famous monarch that ever lived – who could resist that! I have loved the Tudors and been fascinated particularly by the ‘antics’ of Henry V111 since my history lessons at schools. That as one of my favourite theatres – The Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescott - were holding ‘An evening with’ - I was very excited indeed to see how this legend would be portrayed. The performance was in the smallest of the theatres at the playhouse and as I took my seat – a front row of course – a large regal chair awaited us. Then to wonderful 16th century music, the magnificent monarch entered the room. The audience gasped – as there he was- in all his splendour, the noble tyrant, we all knew so well. Jack Abbot was awesome from the minute he ...

Anthony and Cleopatra – Shakespeare North Playhouse

18Aug

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

Anthony and Cleopatra – Shakespeare North Playhouse

‘Anthony and Cleopatra’ is not an easy play to get right. William Shakespeare took the story of political intrigue, family jealousy, and blinding love right from the pages of ancient history, and wove a tale that is dramatic, tragic and loving in equal measure. It is an even harder play to get right when you are a company of only seven players, each permitted to learn only your own lines and cues, thrust onto an unfamiliar stage with no rehearsal. That said, the talented company from Shake-Scene Shakespeare did just that… performing Anthony and Cleopatra as the second play in their mini repertory residency at the Shakespeare North Playhouse this week with resounding success. Opening with ‘As You Like It’ yesterday (the review of that show can be found here: https://northwestend.c...

As You Like It – Shakespeare North Playhouse

16Aug

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

As You Like It – Shakespeare North Playhouse

'As You Like It' - one of William Shakespeare's many comedies - is ultimately a story of love: what it means to be in love and how to find your true love. Of course, as in many of the Bard's works, the course of true love never runs smooth, and this play is no different. The lovers here have to navigate banishment from their homes, hidden identities and burning jealousy in order to see the way through the trees and find their way to what they really want. In this particular production, the players also had to battle through the lack of rehearsal, the absence of a set, and minimal props and costumes, as well as the elements in the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden; with only the support of the book-holder to prompt lines and missed cues. For this is Shakespeare, but not as you know ...

The Merry Wives of Windsor – Shakespeare North Playhouse

2Aug

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

The Merry Wives of Windsor – Shakespeare North Playhouse

If Shakespeare chose a modern company to perform his work then it would undoubtedly be The Pantaloons; I’m equally sure he would be thrilled with director Steve Purcell’s adaptation of a play that had The Pantaloons stamped all over it when it was first written. Roguish knight Falstaff (Alex Rivers) is down on his luck and reliant on the good will of the Host (William Ross-Fawcett) of his local tavern to keep him in good spirits of any kind! When he informs servants Nym (Jodie Micciche) and Pistol (Andrew Armfield) that he intends to seduce Mistress Ford (Micciche) and Mistress Page (Armfield) they refuse to deliver his letters, so he throws them out. When the letters eventually arrive via Mistress Quigley (Micciche) the two ladies laugh over their similarity and decide to get their rev...

A Caravan Named Desire – Shakespeare North Playhouse

31Jul

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

A Caravan Named Desire – Shakespeare North Playhouse

I am an avid SNP goer and am always intrigued by the unique plays that are on shown there whether in the main ‘globe like’ arena, the upstairs small studio or the outside ‘Sir Ken Dodd’ space, each performance is memorable, worth my 12-mile journey to see ‘what’s on offer’. I am never disappointed. I was hoping that tonight was no exception. Tonight, I entered the intimate studio to a scene that showed a messy area of clothes, tippled-over chairs and strewn bottles of water. A couple were in the space looking frantic and tense and the woman was constantly checking her phone. The couple were arguing about whether the show should go ahead as the main female cast member had not attended. The man stated that the female had to step in and although she initially refused, she played the ...

Shakespeare: But Just The Deaths – Shakespeare North Playhouse

29Jul

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Shakespeare: But Just The Deaths – Shakespeare North Playhouse

The last time I saw Shakespeare performed by Cream Faced Loons, the company formed by Abey Bradbury in 2016, we sat wearing plastic ponchos as gallons of fake blood was thrown around during ‘Titus Andronicus’; the time before, the audience donned paper crowns and fought with wooden swords for ‘King John’. Now Bradbury brings her one woman show to Shakespeare North Playhouse with the intent of describing all the deaths (and gory bits) throughout the Bard’s canon in just under an hour. Spoiler alert - she succeeds - and does so in an accessible and humorous style that makes this show perfect family entertainment for a Saturday evening spent outdoors in the July sunshine. The Edinburgh Fringe roots of this fast paced production are clearly visible as we are taken on a whirlwind tour throug...

27Jul

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Shakespeare North Playhouse

The Scottish play is Shakespeare’s shortest and most performed play. A GCSE text, it’s popular with schools and this one hour edited version is just right for those discovering it for the first time. It has all the ‘bloody’ plot and supernatural intrigue but of course less dialogue. Because it’s such a dramatic piece with murders, witchcraft and treachery, it works best if presented in a stylized way and certainly A Place for Us gives us plenty of style and movement. We open with a pounding dramatic soundscape which continues to enhance the production throughout. Chris Bastock's atmospheric and riveting design is perhaps the star of the show enriching the piece with intensity and power. Kate Allerston’s direction is physical, energetic and slick with a mixed company of ad...

Midsummer Night’s Dream – Shakespeare North Playhouse

17Jul

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Midsummer Night’s Dream – Shakespeare North Playhouse

I have seen the famous Shakesperean comedy “Midsummer Night’s Dream” numerous times, several of these in the wonderful Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot. Every time I have seen this play it has been delivered with a different view, a different perspective – in a different way. Although the story remains the same, the journey and the players take on various routes. I have also seen the amateur touring group the Handlebards do this very play, at this very theatre, before in 2023 but knew by seeing this innovative and unpredictable group, that the journey this evening would be unique and refreshing. And it was!! The cast consisted of four females, which in itself was a unique stance in theatre. The cast intermingled with the audience (which disappointingly was only around 60 peo...