Simon Stephens Archives - North West End UK

Vanya – National Theatre Live – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

4Mar

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Vanya – National Theatre Live – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

The latest offering from National Theatre Live screened this evening at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, and whilst ‘Vanya’ featured an acting performance from Andrew Scott that garnered deserved plaudits during its West End run last year, I found the overall production something to be admired rather than loved. Scott, director Sam Yates and designer Rosanna Vize share equal billing as co-creators alongside writer Simon Stephens, who relocates Chekhov’s tragicomedy to a 20th-century Irish farm, preserving the plaintive sadness of the 1897 original story whilst seeking to shed new light onto the characters through Scott’s inventive interpretation. He plays everyone, differentiating men and women, young and old, with subtle changes of vocal register and body language. His performance is ...

27Sep

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Pornography – 53two

Simon Stephens’ Pornography is a dark, gritty play, spotlighting the lives of 8 people in London at a time of momentous excitement – and horror. It focuses on individuals living through the awarding of the 2012 Olympics, swiftly followed by the 7/7 bombings in the capital, showcasing the crash from euphoria to chaos. Red Brick Theatre, the collaborative, Manchester-based theatre company, took on the task of performing the first professional production of Stephens’ play since 2009, a year after it was published. The piece is written as a collection of seven scenes, published in numerical order to serve as a countdown to the bombings, but Red Brick opted to separate and intertwine these scenes instead – meaning that the performance had a highly fluid nature to it. Upon entering 53two’...

Red Brick Theatre bring Pornography to 53two

8Sep

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Red Brick Theatre bring Pornography to 53two

Red Brick Theatre announces their latest production PORNOGRAPHY by Simon Stephens. The stark and shattering play returns for its first professional UK production since 2009 at Manchester’s 53two from September 26th - 30th 2023 including a captioned performance. Written in response to London crashing from the euphoria of winning the race to host the 2012 Olympics, into the chaos and reality of the 7/7 bombings. Six stories pulsate through the heart of the city, serving as a countdown to the catastrophic attack. Red Brick Theatre present a striking new production of Simon Stephens’ (National Theatre, Royal Exchange, Royal Court) fractured portrait of Britain. Directed by Oliver Hurst (BRICKS, The BBC’s First Homosexual, Co-founder of Red Brick Theatre) with video direction by Beck Coo...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Leeds Grand Theatre

14Apr

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Leeds Grand Theatre

Christopher is 15 years old, and someone killed his neighbour’s dog in the middle of the night. He is determined to find out who is to blame. However, Christopher’s life just isn’t that simple, and this play is an exploration of relationship, trust, personal growth and courage, told often through Christopher’s own words. As one of the relatively few people who haven’t read Mark Haddon’s book of the same name, I have been wanting to watch The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for a long time and it is a powerful production that was definitely worth waiting for. Adapted by Simon Stephens and originally produced by the National Theatre in 2012, this exceptional play shines a light on neurodiversity in a way that I have never seen before. The ingenious use of technology thro...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Liverpool Empire

23Mar

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Liverpool Empire

Striking in its complexity, modern in its production and exceptional in its execution, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time provides a theatre experience like no other. Full of sensory elements and pacy dialogue, the audience is fully drawn into the mindset of the lead character and remain relentlessly so for the whole show. This stage adaptation by Simon Stephens of the renowned best-selling book by Mark Haddon did not disappoint. A National Theatre production, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is centred on Christopher Boone (David Breeds) a 15yr old teenager that is describes himself as having "some behavioural difficulties". It is an emotionally charged journey from childhood into independence; naivety to an awareness of being in the world. Openin...