Friday, December 5

Tag: Theatr Clwyd

Boeing Boeing – Theatr Clwyd
Wales

Boeing Boeing – Theatr Clwyd

London Classic Theatre has brought back a West End and Broadway hit, and the famous Marc Camoletti play feels fresher than ever. With a new tour production directed by Michael Cabot, Boeing Boeing is farcical and outrageous in all the right ways. Paris, 1962 and Bernard has it all. An architect with a fancy apartment, he boasts of his perfectly organised life. Most organised is his love life. Never wanting to be bored, Bernard has three fiancées, all air hostesses with different airlines (so as never to overlap). But on one stormy evening, Bernard is in for a night of shock and surprises. With the maid having to stay on top of the lies, and the return of an old friend in the apartment, can Bernard keep his wits about him and the ladies none the wiser? The award-winning comedy has a l...
The Play That Goes Wrong – Theatr Clwyd
Wales

The Play That Goes Wrong – Theatr Clwyd

A mishap or two can happen in a show. There may be a slight delay in an actor’s entrance, or a slip up on a line and then you'll probably get a snigger from the audience. It's understandable that we get a little light-relief from a comical mistake, but this show is a lot more than just schadenfreude. What Mischief Theatre have put together is a chaotic concoction of the most terrible onstage misfortunes. All for your pleasure. The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are staging a 1920’s murder mystery play, and are hoping that after years of underwhelming productions, this time they get it right. As you may have guessed, they definitely do not. Falling set pieces, haphazard actors and an incompetent crew deliver a laugh a minute (or more like every twenty seconds). When you think it can’t...
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice – Theatr Clwyd
Wales

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice – Theatr Clwyd

North Wales on an Easter Bank Holiday Monday conjures images of fish & chips by the sea, sandcastles on the beach and maybe even some weak Spring sunshine peaking through the rain clouds. However, we at North West End UK are prepared to sacrifice these dubious pleasures in pursuit of theatrical excellence, drawing me to Flintshire for the chance to catch a touring revival of ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’, at the lovely Theatre Clwyd. Since bursting onto the theatrical landscape like a blazing northern star in the late 1980’s, Jim Cartwright’s work has demonstrated a heady mix of heart, humour, cruelty and pathos in an accessible and pacy form. ‘Little Voice’ examines the failed dreams and aspirations of the working classes, managing to do this without the mawkish sentimentalit...
Milky Peaks – Theatr Clwyd
Wales

Milky Peaks – Theatr Clwyd

Every once in a while, a new musical comes along that is so compelling you want to run around and scream about it to your friends. Milky Peaks gained a deserving standing ovation on its press night, and I reckon it’ll be gaining many more. The small Welsh town of Milky Peaks is on the brink of ruin, but can it be saved by the most unlikely of heroes? This fantastical musical brings together drag queens, community spirit, fascists and My Fair Lady. It’s as chaotic as it sounds but in the best way. Composer and writer, Seiriol Davies (How to Win Against History) also stars as our young wannabe hero, Dewi. Portrayed with a hilarious tongue-in-cheek naivety and a knowing grin, Davies’ charisma is enticing from the get-go. Whilst searching for his “people”, Dewi comes across the local dow...
Catch Me If You Can – Theatr Clwyd
Wales

Catch Me If You Can – Theatr Clwyd

Hollywood has landed in the rolling hills of Mold, with a comedy-thriller that boasts more twists and turns than the Welsh road network. Catch Me If You Can, written by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, and directed by Bob Tomson, is an adaptation of Robert Thomas’s French play Trap for a Lonely Man. We meet Inspector Levine, called to a house in the remote Catskill mountains to investigate the disappearance of newly married Elizabeth Corban. But when Elizabeth suddenly turns up, her husband Danny swears blind he’s never seen her before, launching a chain of events in which nothing is what it seems, and no-one is as they appear. It’s no wonder this has been adapted for the screen three times over; it’s full of intrigue and conspiracy that will keep the most zealous of armchair sl...
Cats – Theatr Clwyd
Wales

Cats – Theatr Clwyd

Tip Top productions have taken on the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic, Cats, at Theatr Clwyd and delivered a show that would give any West End tour version of this show a run for its money. Tip Top Productions produce high-quality musicals, plays, children’s shows, and pantomimes and this musical is at the top end of high quality. Cats was rehearsed over a three-month period, with Direction and Choreography by Rob Stevens and Musical Direction by Tim Jones, and the two together have created an absolute masterpiece. Choreography is key to Cats and the precision and energy in these routines left me in awe. From individual routines to full cast numbers, there was something for everyone and the cast gave everything to delivering the high standard of dance given to them. A live 15-piece ba...
Summer Season announced at Theatr Clwyd
NEWS

Summer Season announced at Theatr Clwyd

Theatr Clwyd has announced a massive summer season of activity. The season boasts an incredible mixture of musicals, comedy, drama, music, and family activities. The venue welcomes the return of many community performers that have not been able to take to the stage since before the pandemic. Theatr Clwyd produces brand new productions in this season. Celebrated Virgins, A Story of the Ladies of Llangollen (20th May-4th June) is a brand-new production written by Katie Elin-Salt and directed by Eleri B Jones. Based on the true story of Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby. When they fell in love, they were forced to leave their homes and cast out by society. Taking up residence in Llangollen they became minor celebrities, forced to witness their own lives written about by those who could nev...
Theatr Clwyd Announces World Premiere of New Musical – The Famous Five
NEWS

Theatr Clwyd Announces World Premiere of New Musical – The Famous Five

Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd, Tamara Harvey and Executive Director, Liam Evans-Ford announce the world première production of brand-new musical The Famous Five in a co-production with Chichester Festival Theatre will open at Theatr Clwyd on 29th September with previews from 23rd September. Photo: Johan Persson Based on Enid Blyton’s multi-million-selling novels, Tamara Harvey directs this brand-new musical written by Elinor Cook, with music and lyrics by Theo Jamieson. Lucy Osborne designs with choreography by Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, musical supervision by David White and Benjamin Holder, musical direction by Katherine Rockhill, orchestrations by Theo Jamieson, lighting by Johanna Town and video design by Ash Woodward. Tamara Harvey said today “I loved Enid Blyton’s sto...
Beauty and the Beast – Theatr Clwyd
Wales

Beauty and the Beast – Theatr Clwyd

The Theatre Clwyd pantomimes are legendary in the local area. It's been a few years since I've been but I'm happy to say that it lives up to, and even exceeds all expectation. Tamara Harvey, in her first year as pantomime director, has kept to the winning formula and brought some festive cheer back to the theatre. This year’s chosen fairytale is Beauty and The Beast. Christian Patterson (in his fourth year as writer) has spun the “tale as old as time” into a hilarious, magic-filled pantomime. With topical references to politics and local inside jokes, it's fun, fun, fun for all. This pantomime already separates itself from an overcrowded market. Rather than star castings, Theatre Clwyd has the actors play as the onstage band. With tunes like “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Uptown F...
The Show Must Go On – Theatr Clwyd
Wales

The Show Must Go On – Theatr Clwyd

What a joy seeing Tip Top back doing what they do best, on a stage entertaining the masses and tonight they came back with a bang. The Show Must Go On brings us a mash up of musicals with something for everyone. The vast stage in the Anthony Hopkins theatre stood completely empty with just a few lights shining across the darkness but it was soon filled with incredible vocals, killer choreography and a cast so full of joy and enthusiasm. Bringing a show of this size together during a pandemic brings its own challenges and Tip Top rose to those challenges. Three groups created their own bubble, carrying out lateral flow testing and following Covid regulations, doing everything to pull together a show stopping show and co-directors/choreographers Phil Cross and Rhian Lyon should be applaud...