The Grange Theatre Archives - North West End UK

The Great British Bake Off Musical – The Grange Theatre, Hartford

7Nov

By Dan GrimesNo Comments

North West

The Great British Bake Off Musical – The Grange Theatre, Hartford

The timing could not have been more perfect for this opening night performance by the immensely talented company of Salt & Pepper Productions. Less than 24 hours after the denouement of series 16 of the iconic baking contest, we were treated to this tasty morsel — a delightful love letter to the TV institution that is Bake Off. The show follows an entire series in the tent, charting the trials, tribulations, treachery, and triumphs of eight hopeful bakers. The characters are all instantly recognisable from series past, celebrating the rich tapestry of British idiosyncrasies: Izzy, an overachiever with cut-throat ambition (Laura Johnson); Dezza, a vegan hipster (Matt Austin); Russell, a delightfully flamboyant and outrageously camp old luvvie (Stuart Dutton); Babs, a brassy granny en...

20Sep

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – The Grange Theatre

On a damp and dark evening in September, rather suitably, Macbeth is gracing the stage at The Grange Theatre in Hartford. Directed by Thomas Frith and assisted by Ben Simon, the performance of one of Shakespeare’s finest tragedy’s is always a brave undertaking by any company.With a simple setting consisting of the points of a very large, upturned crown as a backdrop, that at times also formed part of the woods and even the castle, the stage as a visual was extremely effective. Sound on entering the theatre enticed the audience with consistent sounds of a drum beating at regular intervals, setting the scene perfectly and heightened the anticipation of what was to follow. Emily Stone as Sound designer must be congratulated for this.Matt Concannon performed the part of Macbeth and did so to a...

The Room Where it Happens – The Grange Theatre

2Feb

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Room Where it Happens – The Grange Theatre

Theatregoers today have a huge range of shows to choose from and, for musical theatre theatres, it’s always a treat to get a reminder of the dazzling tapestry of pop, rock, hip-hop and opera at the heart of stories that cover themes as diverse as revolution and social equality to absurdities of everyday life. C.A.S.T productions have done just that with an eclectic and electric programme of musical theatre anthems. With the company’s inclusive ethos, we have a diverse mix of vocalists showcasing tunes from stage classics like Guys and Dolls and Gypsy, through to the modern blockbusters like Hamilton and Wicked. Photo - Rob Bentley, Mid-Cheshire Camera Club Director Louise Colohan and Michael Shneck have pulled together a smart set list that gives each cast member a chance to...

9Nov

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

The Wedding Singer – The Grange Theatre

The award-winning musical theatre group ‘The Zodiac’ presents its 102nd production, founded in 1968 they have been entertaining and wowing audiences for over five decades. ‘The Zodiac’ is a registered charity that aims to bring theatre and the arts to their local community making it accessible to all. I was delighted to meet Matt Weaver the Chairman of this superb theatre group who spent time explaining about ‘The Zodiac’ and their training programme. It was heart-warming to hear how the group had evolved and the way they pride themselves on the family ethos. There are honorary life members in the theatre group/cast including Valerie Ball who is the President of ‘The Zodiac’ and was also up on stage as the character Angie in ‘The Wedding Singer’! I had not seen a Zodiac production be...

2Nov

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

9 to 5 – The Grange Theatre, Hartford

I had not seen a Salt & Pepper Production before tonight, however I can assure you this will not be my last visit, as this theatre company is most definitely a first-class polished group of exceptionally talented individuals. I was honoured enough to meet Sue Chatt the mother of the Artistic Director and Choreographer Joanna Milborne-Chatt, who passionately informed me of the creation of Salt & Pepper, which was born out of a personal tragedy and became Milborne-Chatt’s focus to produce on stage magic and support Headway’s charity. This is Salt & Pepper’s third stage production, the first being ‘Rock of Ages’ which was an award-winning success and the second being ‘Calendar Girls’ in 2021, both generating funds for Milborne-Chatt’s chosen charities Headway and Blood Cance...