The Lowry Archives - Page 7 of 15

3Apr

By Emma WildNo Comments

North West

Cluedo 2 – The Lowry

Cluedo, the family favourite board game, celebrates 75years since it was first produced in the UK and America. This enduring game is filled with intrigue, mystery and fun. Did this show live up to the appeal of this classic game? Cluedo 2, a sequel to the hugely popular first play, which toured the UK in 2022, has a host of re-invented characters, a different, intriguing storyline and is set in a whole new mansion. Cluedo 2 has all the potential to be a sure fire hit, with the hugely talented director, Mark Bell (best known for directing The Play That Goes Wrong) and successful stage and screen comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. I was hoping for a night filled with laughter whilst acting the sleuth, however, I only chuckled a few times throughout the evening. Set in the ...

22Mar

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Opera North: Cosi fan tutte – The Lowry

As the programme notes, Mozart is one of those rare creative beings who comes to disturb the sleep of the world., and certainly mischief and misunderstandings are everywhere in this revived adaptation in English of Mozart’s famous two-act comic opera, and on the whole this good-humoured production from Director Tim Albery does not disappoint. The story begins with an old cynic and philosopher, Don Alfonso (Quirijn de Lang), betting two young soldiers, Ferrando (Anthony Gregory) and Guglielmo (Henry Neill), that their respective fiancées, sisters Dorabella (Heather Lowe) and Fiordiligi (Alexandra Lowe) will not stay faithful if put to the test. The two young men accept the bet and pretend to depart for the front line whilst secretly returning in disguise and under the direction of Don Al...

Opera North: Cavalleria rusticana / Aleko –The Lowry

21Mar

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Opera North: Cavalleria rusticana / Aleko –The Lowry

Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana is usually paired with Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci but director Karolina Sofulak has made an inspired choice to pair it with Rachmaninov’s rarely heard Aleko with some subtle and intricate linking of the two pieces which by and large comes off. In Cavalleria rusticana, it transpires that Turiddù (Andrés Presno) and Lola (Helen Évora) were once lovers, but when he left to join the army, Lola married another man, Alfio (Robert Hayward). Although Turridù finds consolation in the arms of Santuzza (Giselle Allen), his obsessive passion for Lola still burns fiercely as he supports his mother Lucia (Anne-Marie Owens), setting the stage for a tale of faithlessness, jealousy and violence, set in a rural community where the church maintains an iron grip on the souls of...

20Mar

By Philip EdwardsNo Comments

North West

My Beautiful Launderette – The Lowry

For those of us who lived through the 1980’s much of the story told in My Beautiful Launderette is familiar. The need to achieve at all costs gripped much of society and some people gave up principles for the chance to get rich quick. There was a growing middle class, not least in people who settled here from different countries. It was also a time of advancing rights in the gay community despite the long shadow of HIV/AIDS. Put that lot together as Hanif Kureishi did in 1985 and you have a very successful movie on your hands which went a long way to explore Britain becoming a multi-cultural society, those who embrace it and those who resent it. The story has now been brought to the stage and once again we meet Omar as he seeks to make a success of his uncle’s rundown launde...

13Mar

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Frankenstein – The Lowry

imitating the dog's production of Frankenstein at The Lowry Theatre in Salford attempts a daring fusion of Mary Shelley's classic gothic tale with the personal journey of a modern couple on the brink of parenthood. While this ambitious endeavour promises a fresh interpretation of a timeless story, the execution ultimately falls short, resulting in a bewildering narrative experience that leaves much to be desired. The decision to intertwine the lives of the modern couple with the character of Victor Frankenstein proves to be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the juxtaposition of Shelley's cautionary tale with the intimate struggles of impending parenthood holds promise for a thought-provoking exploration of creation, responsibility, and the human condition. However, in practice, the ble...

Birmingham Royal Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty – The Lowry

8Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Birmingham Royal Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty – The Lowry

As the curtain rises on the opulent set of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s revival of Sir Peter Wright’s classic production in its 40th anniversary year, you wouldn’t suspect that this is a company that has seen swingeing funding cuts following the all-but-bankrupt city council’s arts budget wipeout. Putting their potential money troubles to one side, tonight the team bring a show with the panache that makes little children dream of being ballet dancers – beautiful costumes, grandeur and, of course, superb dancing. Running just shy of three hours including two intervals, The Sleeping Beauty is a demanding ballet of both its dancers and its audience. Many points feel more like vignettes showcasing the technical skill of the company, rather than moving along the narrative. But the troupe ...

Stick Man to open in Salford and London this Christmas

5Mar

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Stick Man to open in Salford and London this Christmas

What starts off as a morning jog becomes quite the misadventure for Stick Man: a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, and he even ends up on a fire! How will Stick Man ever get back to the family tree in time for Christmas? This much-loved adaptation from Freckle Productions, the team behind Zog and Zog and the Flying Doctors, features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves. Casting for both venues will be announced later this year. Executive producer Jennifer Sutherland said, “We are so excited that our beloved Stick Man – a perennial festive family favourite – will have sit down seasons in two major cities this Christmas. After twelve years at the Leicester Square Theatre, we’re so excited to move to a new ...

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch – The Lowry

24Feb

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch – The Lowry

Brash, bold and untold, Unfortunate is the story of (arguably) the best Disney villain ever made, Ursula the sea witch. It is the side of the classic 1989 story, The Little Mermaid, as never seen before. The original character was inspired by the triple treat drag queen Divine, so drag culture has been intertwined with the villain from the very start. This musical parody brings the character right back to its roots with an outrageously camp new story. The musical parody dives deep into what really happened all those years ago under the sea. We’re first introduced to a young Ursula Squirt, from a poor family in the depths of the ocean. We see her grow into an intellectual octo-woman and diva. Her relationship with King Triton was not as foretold; they explore their complex relationshi...

Drop the Dead Donkey: The Reawakening – The Lowry

14Feb

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Drop the Dead Donkey: The Reawakening – The Lowry

The 90s were famous for a lot of things such as Britpop, Cool Brittania and the Teletubbies and casting an acerbic eye on the news at that time was an award-winning sitcom ready to take a satirical swipe at the great and the good of the day. Recorded close to transmission the gags were bang up to date and like Spitting Image and Have I Got News For You, it was must see TV for satire junkies. Aside from its topicality the show had a great bunch of misfit characters who were, like in any great sitcom, trapped together, in this case in a news station. It had a bumbling editor, George (Jeff Rawle), a womanising gambling addict, Dave (Neil Pearson), the attention seeking Damien (Stephen Tompkinson), perfectionist Helen (Ingrid Lacey) and the sociopathic Joy (Susannah Doyle). It was a workpla...

24Jan

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Murder in the Dark – The Lowry

Thrillers on stage are notoriously difficult to pull off effectively and I am afraid this one didn’t quite hit the mark. Unfortunately, I was not on the edge of my seat and the supposed thrills, twists and turns at the end flailed rather than flabbergasted. Which is a shame because the groundwork was solidly laid for a classic murder mystery thriller. A group of characters are left in an isolated farm, and we become increasingly concerned there maybe something nasty in the woodshed. Danny (Tom Chambers) and Sarah (Laura White) are welcomed into the farmhouse by the eccentric owner Mrs Bateman (Susie Blake). It is New Year’s Eve, he has just buried his mother, they are miles from anywhere and Danny is desperate for a drink. He has crashed his car into a wall, and they will have to sta...