Tim Jackson Archives - North West End UK

20Feb

By Grace AnnabelNo Comments

North West

The Parent Agency – Storyhouse

This evening, I had the immense privilege of watching the world premiere of ‘The Parent Agency’. A BRAND-NEW musical at The Storyhouse based on the best-selling book by David Baddiel with music by Dan-Gillespie Sells and direction by Tim Jackson. The hilariously entertaining production follows the story of eleven-year-old Barry Bennett who dreams of having “better parents”, those who give him everything he has ever wanted! Barry’s wishes come true, and he is transported to the United Kid-dom, where he is taken to the Parent Agency to find the mum and dad of his wildest dreams - however he quickly finds out that all of this is easier said than done and we follow his trials and tribulations along the way. The set and staging by Jon Bausor was spectacular, yet minimalistic in certain as...

Nielsen’s Violin Concerto – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

12Apr

By Mark HumphreysNo Comments

North West

Nielsen’s Violin Concerto – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Let me let you into a little secret. When soloists embark on their concerto cadenza (an extended, elaborate virtuosic solo segment where the orchestra stops playing and the soloist takes centre stage) I stop watching what they are doing and ‘people-watch’ the orchestra and conductor. For there are few things better than watching professionals acknowledge professionals – putting their own instruments down, enrapt, leaning forward for a better look at the action, smiling and even nodding in appreciation at the skill of their fellow performer. So, it was last night with Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene, the RLPO Young Artist in Residence who was last seen here performing the Korngold Violin Concerto. The Neilsen Violin Concerto affords not one but two opportuniti...

Grieg’s Piano Concerto – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

23Feb

By Mark HumphreysNo Comments

North West

Grieg’s Piano Concerto – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

“Easy on the banjos!” warned Eric Morecambe when André Previn (or Andrew Preview) famously attempted to conduct the Grieg Piano Concerto in the classic 1971 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special. The one time I ever saw a banjo on stage with the RLPO my Facebook post quoting this zinging one-liner garnered precisely zero likes. It must be a generation thing. For this 2024 performance, Liverpool welcomed back its prodigal son and former Chief Conductor, Vasily Petrenko. Turning from the podium, orchestra poised to start, to acknowledge an errant mobile phone ringtone with a wry raise of the eyebrow, he held the audience in the palm of his hand - comic timing worthy of the much-missed double act themselves. First on the programme was Bohuslav Martinů’s La Bagarre, composed w...

The Hound of the Baskervilles – Theatr Clwyd

22Sep

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

Wales

The Hound of the Baskervilles – Theatr Clwyd

Original Theatre Company and Octagon Theatre Bolton present The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conon Doyle at Theatr Clwyd. Sherlock Holmes is on the case to figure out the mystery of the Baskerville deaths and to try and break the chain to keep Sir Henry alive. But this is not your ordinary Sherlock Holmes story. This is done with a very clever and extremely funny twist. That being, there are only three cast members who play every part in the play. We realised very early on that we were in for something different when the cast broke the fourth wall pretty much straight away, talking to the audience and explaining part of the plot but many twists and turns were a complete surprise that kept the evening very entertaining. The cast were made up of Jake Ferretti as Holmes, Sere...